Asgard Mistakes
by avidgokufan
Summary: NEW UPDATE! Chapter 12 is up! Loki has escaped from Asgard custody and has run to a very powerful enemy for sanctuary. What will happen when the information on Colonel O'Neill piques this new enemy's interest? Jack-centric.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Jack sat in his chair, bored. It wasn't the first time, and it definitely wouldn't be the last time. He rolled his eyes subtly as Daniel went over some other obscure fact about the ruins they had just visited and began to talk faster as he grew more excited.

Bored.

Bored.

Bored.

That was the only word that described Jack's current state of mind. He idly continued doodling on his pad of paper. He suddenly heard his name and he lifted his head to meet the eyes of General Hammond.

"I'm sorry, sir," Jack said, realizing the General had asked him something, "I was so caught up in what Daniel had been saying that I missed your question."

General Hammond shook his head and managed to hide his amusement at the sarcasm in Jack's voice. Anyone with half a mind could see that the Colonel was bored senseless.

"I asked if you had anything to add about the planet."

"Not really, sir. Just a lot of rocks and tr..." and Jack disappeared in a bright flash of light. There was a moment of shock and then Sam jumped up and hit the base alarm.

Sighing, she looked at Hammond as the base alarms began to scream. "The Asgard, sir?"

Hammond nodded also looking a bit weary, "I wonder what they want this time."

Daniel took off his glasses and scrubbed at his eyes, "Jack's probably still mad about the whole cloning thing. This may not go over well."

Teal'c nodded and made his first contribution to the conversation, "Indeed."

* * *

Jack appeared out of midair and fell promptly on his backside. Getting transported out of his chair was not necessarily the best idea when your support disappeared from underneath you. Groaning softly, he pulled himself to his feet.

"Thor..." Jack began the warning note clear in his voice, when Thor's voice cut him short.

"O'Neill, there is a matter of grave concern that requires your immediate removal from your planet's surface. We must take you away at once."

Jack stared at him in shock for a moment, before he regained his voice and said, "Um, no, Thor. I don't think so. I've already had my dose of Asgard kidnaping for this year, thank you very much."

"You do not understand, O'Neill. If we don't remove you at once, your whole planet will be in danger of destruction."

Jack sighed, "What now?"

Thor looked grave, even for him, "I'm afraid Loki has escaped our custody. He ran off to find protection from...a rather dangerous source. He told this source about his situation and has unfortunately turned their attention to you. They are preparing to come to Earth immediately. The only way to save your planet is to remove their intended target, which is you."

Jack seemed a bit shell-shocked, while his mind scrambled to understand exactly what Thor was saying.

"Let me get this straight, Thor. Somehow, with all your advanced technology, Loki managed to escape, ran off to some big baddies, told them about me, and now they're coming here?"

"That is correct, O'Neill, though I am unfamiliar with the term 'baddies.'"

"Well, can't you shut shoot them out of space? Keep them away? After all, buddy, it is rather your, or rather, an Asgard's fault that they're coming in the first place."

Thor looked a little embarrassed. "Unfortunately, O'Neill, this is not an enemy that we dare confront with our current forces."

"Are they as bad as the Goa'uld?"

"Far worse, O'Neill."

"Worse? Worse like replicator worse?"

"In their own way, they are worse even than the replicators. In fact, O'Neill, they are the race that turned the Goa'uld into what they are today."

* * *

Jack had been missing for a while. Sam was getting nervous. It had been over twenty minutes without a word from Jack and she was beginning to pace. Teal'c sat in stoic silence and watched her movement with a raised eyebrow.

Daniel was sitting in a chair, trying to concentrate on his notes, but every few seconds, he would look up, as though expecting to see Jack descend from the sky. Or perhaps, he was hoping to overhear the conversation that was going on between Jack and the Asgard.

Hammond was in his office talking on his red phone, most likely informing the President of the current situation.

They were in the briefing room, hoping that when Thor sent Jack back, it would be right directly to them to inform them of the new and most likely dangerous problem.

At that moment, the beaming technology appeared and left Jack and Thor in its wake. Jack looked far less than happy and Thor also seemed a bit distressed. Hammond had seen the light from his office and quickly finished his conversation.

"Thor," he greeted as he came forward, "what seems to be the problem?"

"I need your help, General Hammond," Thor said.

"What can I do for you?"

"I need you to order O'Neill to cooperate."

Jack had a stubborn set of his jaw, and his eyes glowered with anger.

"Excuse me?" General Hammond said, his voice filled with surprise.

"O'Neill has refused to leave the planet with me, which he must do at all costs."

"What exactly is going on here, Thor?" General Hammond asked, his confusion apparent in his expression.

"Apparently," Jack said, "a new big evil is coming and the only way to stop it is for me to leave."

"Why?" interjected Sam.

"We do not have time for this," Thor said, his agitation increasing. "Please General, for the sake of your planet you must command O'Neill to do this thing."

"Are you saying that if Jack doesn't leave the whole planet will be destroyed?" General Hammond asked.

"Yes."

"Then Jack, I suppose you'd better go with Thor."

Jack's jaw dropped, "But..."

"No arguments, Jack. Thor, when will you be able to bring him back?"

Thor hesitated. "I am uncertain, General Hammond, however, I will send an Asgard here to further explain the situation as soon as possible. For the moment however, we must leave. Thank you for you assistance."

And with that, Jack and Thor once again vanished in a flash of bright light.

The remaining members of SG-1 looked at Hammond.

"Well, let's hope that Asgard comes soon," Daniel said, "I'd really like to know what's going on."

"Indeed."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jack was furious. It wasn't that he didn't believe Thor. After all, the little guy had never directly lied to him, but he was tired of being whisked away with very little explanation.

Sighing, he went and leaned next to Thor as he sat at the consul and directed the ship through hyperdrive.

"So?" Jack said.

Thor looked up at him and blinked his large eyes.

"So, O'Neill?"

"So, do you want to tell me more about these people that we're running from?"

"We are not running, O'Neill."

Jack snorted, "Of course we're not."

"We are simply saving your planet."

Jack sighed, "You're changing the subject."

Thor blinked slowly at him. Jack stared right back. Finally, Thor seemed to give in.

"It is not a pleasant tale, O'Neill."

"I'm sure it's not, Thor, if it is someone that even you're scared of."

"I am not frightened, O'Neill."

"Of course you're not."

Thor sighed this time. Though he usually was amused by O'Neill's behavior, at this moment he was very concerned for his friend. They had tried their best to keep the news of O'Neill from the other advanced cultures, but because of Loki, their efforts were now all wasted. Although Thor suspected it was only a matter of time. O'Neill seemed to have a penchant for finding fame. His name had spread much further far quicker than Thor had anticipated. As Loki had said, O'Neill was legendary.

"The race that is approaching Earth is known as Sumerians."

Jack frowned, "That sounds familiar."

"As it should. They came to Earth long before the Goa'ulds and showed themselves to the primitive people of Earth. They named the land they controlled Mesopotamia and called the people Sumerians after themselves. They quickly became the Gods of the superstitious natives who lived there for several centuries, but then they lost interest and left. We are unsure as to why."

Jack nodded and motioned for Thor to continue. Thor nodded and did so.

"Long before they came to Earth, however, they were well-known to the Asgard. When the Asgard formed the Alliance of the four races there were many other advanced races that were not welcome as part of the alliance. None were as advanced as the Ancients or the Furlings, but a few were at the level of the Asgard and the Nox. However, the reason we formed the alliance was not to gather against the Goa'uld, but rather to stand against the Sumerians.

"Where the Asgard do the occasional harmless experiment on humans and other species and try to help guide them to their full potential, the Sumerians like to find the dark side of any species and draw it out. The Goa'uld originally were little more than sentient fish. They lived their whole lives in the water, living mostly peacefully with each other. However, the Sumerians noted their unique physiological structure and made some slight changes of their own. When they were done, they introduced the first host to their creations. The Goa'uld quickly took up the parasitic way of life, stealing both lives and technology as they continued to expand their reign of terror. The Sumerians watched and laughed. It was they who first gave the Goa'uld the gate address of Earth.

"The Sumerians are an evil such as you have never faced before. When the Alliance was in effect and all members still lived, we were able to hold them off and eventually form a treaty with them, a treaty which they have surprisingly kept, even after the Ancients vanished."

"What about the Furlings?"

Thor gave him a look and then ignored the question, though a look of sadness seemed to fill his eyes.

"The Sumerians have hold of a part of the galaxy that we have agreed not to touch. This action was necessary to allow the rest of the galaxy to advance untarnished. In return they agreed not to touch our half of the galaxy. They have faithfully stayed to their side, at least until now."

"So, what changed?"

"They have been told of you, O'Neill."

Jack shook his head. This was the part he had a hard time believing. "So, you're saying because Loki ran and told them about, um, me, they are breaking a treaty that they have kept for hundreds of years?"

"That is correct, O'Neill."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why me? You said I wasn't the missing link in your cloning problem."

Unlike the previous conversation with Loki when this subject had been brought up and Thor had immediately denied the possiblity, Thor hesitated.

"Thor...?" Jack said, the strain coming through his voice.

"I perhaps was a bit untruthful in what I said. However, I have kept this knowledge secret from many of the other Asgards and especially from Loki. The High Council determined that you were more valuable as an ally than an experiment, thus the genetic marker was placed on your code for your safety. We couldn't keep the rumors completely quiet regarding your advanced state however. You did stumble through a gate into a room full of Asgard citizens. Kvasir, the Asgard that repressed the Ancient knowledge in your brain at that time was most impressed, and let others know of you. He is quite the fan."

Jack thought about that for a moment, and then said, "Repressed? I thought they removed it?"

Thor looked a little surprised. "Surely you have retained some residual memories that made you wonder."

Jack looked like he was about to deny it. For a long moment, the usual quip was on his lips, about to come out, then with a sigh he dropped the 'dumb' facade.

"Yes. I will admit I've been a bit curious about that."

Thor nodded. "Have you mentioned this matter with the other members of SG-1?"

Jack's lips twitched. "Nope."

"I do not understand, O'Neill. You obviously are much more intelligent than they seem to think you are. What is the point of this deception?"

Jack sighed, "It's a long story, Thor. And a painful one. One I'd rather not go into right now."

"Very well, O'Neill," Thor said, though even his little grey face couldn't hide his curiosity.

"So, where are we going?" Jack said, smoothly changing the subject.

"As far away from Earth as possible."

Jack leaned back, "Ah."

* * *

Jack had only been gone for an hour when Hammond's red phone began to ring. Hammond rushed to his office just as Walter came running in.

"General!" he said, but then paused as he noticed the General was on his phone. It was a short abrupt conversation, and Hammond hung up the phone.

"General," Walter said, "NORAD has spotted a large ship approaching from deep space."

"I just heard. Either they don't have cloaking technology, or they don't care if we see them. If that's the case, we may have an even bigger problem then we first anticipated. The secret of the Stargate may be exposed."

The weight of what General Hammond had just said, hit Walter like a ton of bricks.

Hammond shook his head as Walter stared at him silently. "Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The ship appeared in the sky above Colorado. By the time it did, the news reports were already screaming about it.

Though NORAD had detected it first, it hadn't taken long for other countries' satellites to also pick it up. Those that already knew about the Stargate tried to keep it quiet, but as it came closer ordinary stargazers began to spot it. They called the news stations, and within a few hours, every station was blasting news about the unidentified flying object that was approaching Earth. Its trajectory had been predicted and it was with mass panic that people began to vacate Colorado.

General Hammond watched the ship descend via satellite. It was a huge ship, bigger even than the Asgard wreckage that they had recovered from the ocean after the ship crashed. It's edges looked jagged, prickly, like a rabid porcupine on steroids.

He turned to the remaining members of SG-1. "I'm guessing this was the threat the Asgard were worried about. Any sign of the Asgard that was supposed to come explain what's going on?" As the three shook their heads in a negative, Hammond sighed. "How am I supposed to explain this to the President? I don't even know what's going on!"

At that moment, a bright light extended down from the ship, illuminating the mountain and the surrounding area. A humming noise filled the mountain; a noise that jarred the teeth and vibrated the eardrums.

"What are they doing?" Daniel yelled.

"My guess is that they're scanning us!" Sam yelled back, "Most likely they're looking for the Colonel! At least that's what I'm guessing from what the Asgard said!" As the words left Carter's mouth, she disappeared in what could only be called a black light. If the Asgard beaming technology was white, this was black. Darkness seemed to envelope the point where Carter was standing, and she almost seemed to fade into it and vanish.

As the humming abruptly cut off, the four individuals in the control room stared at the spot Carter had been moments before.

"If they are looking for Colonel O'Neill," Teal'c voice penetrated the silence, "why then did they take Major Carter?"

Hammond could only helplessly shake his head as his gaze turned skyward.

* * *

The words had barely left Sam's lips when she suddenly found herself flying through the air toward a wall. Luckily, her reflexes reacted in time, and she was able to hit the wall feet first, bending her knees to absorb the impact and then falling, slightly more gently, onto the floor. However, that wasn't much better. The floor felt like granite. She could feel the skin scrape off her as she slid across the floor. Behind her she heard someone begin clapping as she came to a stop.

Raising her head, she gazed into a very human-looking face. The male behind her continued to clap for a moment, and then reached down very gently with a smile as he extended a hand to help her up.

"Ah, I'm sorry about the rough landing," he said, "and I didn't mean to interrupt you. Please go on with what you were saying about Colonel O'Neill and the Asgard."

The man's smile appeared gentle, but in his eyes was a look that frightened Sam to her core. His hair was a shaggy brown, and his face was very attractive, but if any human had a visible aura, his was the blackness of death, a blackness that matched the color of his eyes. He had no iris, merely a pupil that extended beyond the scope of where it should be. At first, Sam thought the irises of the man's eyes were simply black, but as the man leaned further into the light, his entire pupil contracted, allowing Sam to see it for what it truly was. So, instead of accepting the man's hand, Sam pulled herself farther away from the man and stood up by herself.

"Why did you pull me up here?" she asked.

"Why, my dear girl, I simply wanted to ask you some questions for my Masters."

Sam shivered slightly, and then said, with realization, "You mean this isn't your ship?"

The man laughed, a sound that caused the hairs to rise on Sam's arms and the back of her neck. The man then looked at Sam with his black eyes and said, "No. It belongs to the ones who have come to this galaxy in search of a specimen. One that they would be most...put out...if they didn't find." As the man spoke, he approached Sam in a way that made her feel like a mouse that was about to be eaten by a cat. As the man leaned forward, he reached out and grabbed Sam's shoulders, pushing her back against the wall. Then he spoke in a calm deliberate voice and said, "Now, woman, tell me. Where is Colonel Jack O'Neill?"

* * *

Jack yawned loudly as he laid on the floor and looked at the ceiling. He had been on enough Asgard ships to last a lifetime. He looked over at Thor who was deep in conversation with another Asgard in the Asgard language. Jack shrugged and went back to staring at the ceiling. Now that Thor had mention his repressed knowledge, he found many of the barriers he had placed over the last few years were leaking. Every once in a while, he would hear a word from Thor, and to the surface of his mind would float the meaning. Evidently the Ancients had deposited a bit of knowledge from the Asgard's mother tongue. Either that, or the two languages were derived from a similar root. For an instant, Jack contemplated thinking down that road, and then decided that topic was better left for Daniel at a different time. Not that Jack was going to tell him how he had received that particular tidbit of information. No, it was better for everyone if things stayed the way they were.

Thor looked over at Jack. The human was strangely silent and seemed to be in deep thought. Thor hated to interrupt, but he knew O'Neill liked to be kept appraised of situations.

"O'Neill," he called. Jack turned and looked at him. Thor continued when he saw that he had Jacks attention. "We have just received word that the Sumerians have reached Earth. They have descended over the SGC and have evidently teleported Major Carter onboard their vessel. Unfortunately the Asgard representative didn't have enough time to reach Earth to inform the commanders of your world of the situation before the Sumerians arrived. Hopefully Major Carter will say nothing to cause injury to herself."

"Wait a minute," Jack said, vaulting to his feet, "we have to go back! We can't allow Carter to be tortured for something she doesn't know. She could die!"

Thor nodded, "That would be most unfortunate."

Jack's mouth dropped open. He had had many similar conversations with the Asgard along these same lines, but it surprised him every time.

"No, Thor," he said, very firmly, "that is NOT unfortunate, that is unacceptable. You told me that everyone would be safe if I came with you."

"That is not correct, O'Neill," Thor protested, "I merely said your planet would not be destroyed."

Jack shook his head. "I am not going to hide here while Carter and everyone else are killed. Take me back. Now."

"I'm afraid that is impossible, O'Neill. You are far too valuable. However, if I may suggest a compromise?"

"I'm listening," Jack said, as he folded his arms across his chest and glared at Thor.

* * *

Sam's mouth went very dry as the man's fingers tightened on her shoulders. The man looked at her and a slight smirk pulled at his lips. "Well," he said, "if what I've heard about Colonel O'Neill is right, he cares deeply about his team. Perhaps if we were to broadcast your 'interrogation,' he would emerge from his hiding place?"

Sam opened her mouth to say something, anything, but before she could speak, the figure in front of her placed a finger gently on her lips and closed his eyes in concentration. Nothing seemed to happen, but the man opened his eyes and whispered, "We're live!"

Far below on the planet's surface, a power surge struck, and every television station, every radio broadcast, and every internet website began to deliver a live video feed from the spaceship far above. The people of planet Earth were presented with their first image of an alien, and it was a sight to make even the most curious falter. A face filled their screens, a soft, low voice cut through their radio stations, and the world froze.

"People of the Tau'ri, or as you call yourselves, people of Earth. I am Samoth, the servant of a race of, as you would say, aliens. My masters are known to you as figures in your history. They came to Earth long ago and acted as divine beings for your ancestors, the people of Mesopotamia. They are known as the Sumerians. Here before me," the man-like creature said, and the image panned out to show a blond woman with him, "is Major Samantha Carter, a member of your planet. We are seeking an individual, a man from the continent known as North America, who goes by the name Colonel Jack O'Neill. My masters would be most displeased were he not to be found. Bring him to us in the next hour, or I will begin ripping various body parts from this woman before me." This statement was delivered with no emotion, no inflection of tone. It was given as a statement, not a threat, and in its delivery it was all the more chilling.

"You have one hour," the man said, but before the video feed could cut off, a bright beam of light appeared depositing a gray figure, and the world was privy to its first sight of an Asgard.

"Put Major Carter down, Samoth," the Asgard said. The voice was unfamiliar, but Sam slumped in relief as Samoth turned to confront the Asgard.

"Well, hello, Kvasir," Samoth said with a dangerous curve of his lips, "have you come to add a little drama to our performance?"

"Colonel O'Neill is no longer on this planet," the Asgard said, his mouth firmly drawn down as he ignored Samoth's jabs.

"Ah," Samoth said snidely, "that would explain why we're not picking him up on any of our sensors. Well, done, my little gray friend." Samoth's playful tone was not lost on the new Asgard, and the Kvasir's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Samoth, in turn, became serious. "I'd suggest then, Kvasir, that you return him at once."

"I'm afraid that is impossible," Kvasir said. "You are breaking our treaty, Addendum 1001, section 12423 which states travel and infringement into Galaxy 439 is prohibited for all Sumerian vessels. We order that you withdraw your vessel and leave immediately."

The dark man stiffened for a moment, and then the easy smile returned to his lips. "Very well," he responded, his eyes seeming to glint in the lighting of the ship, "but only if you tell me where you have hidden O'Neill."

"You will return the sentient being Major Carter to Earth at once as required by section 492 which states all specimens in galaxies designated as under the protection of the four races will be left undisturbed and unchanged by the Sumerians."

At this, Samoth snorted in mirth. "The four races?" he asked, his lips twitching with mirth, "I see only one here. Tell me, my tiny Asgard friend, where are the other three races?"

"Are you refusing to comply with the treaty?" Kvasir asked.

Samoth lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Of course not, my dear friend," he said, and pushed a button. Sam had one moment to realize what was about to happen before she disappeared in the same flash of black light that she had appeared in. "Better?" Samoth asked.

"Now you will please withdraw your ship before we are forced to make you do so," Kvasir said, and it was apparent from his tone that he wasn't messing around. Samoth sighed, but his eyes were calculating as he whispered, "Of course. However, I would advise you to not consider this incident over, foolish little Asgard." Then, worldwide, the images that were being broadcasted shut down. At the base of Cheyenne Mountain, General Hammond breathed a sigh of relief as Major Carter reappeared before him. He had been watching the video from the ship above, and he was not happy with the way the situation was going.

"Are you all right?" he asked the trembling Major. Sam nodded, but slipped gratefully into a chair and buried her face in her hands.

"If you don't mind, sir," she said, "I would not prefer to do that again."

General Hammond nodded in agreement, but before he could say anything, Sam spoke again.

"However, sir," she said, lifting her head to stare directly into her commanding officer's eyes, "I am deeply concerned for Colonel O'Neill if those creatures get their hands on him."

Hammond could only nod once more in agreement as far above them, the Sumerian ship left the atmosphere and headed back out into space, leaving many questions on the lips of the humans of Earth, but foremost was the question, "Who exactly is Colonel O'Neill?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Are we certain that everyone saw that encounter?" General Hammond asked Walter as he, SG-1, and the pentagon liaison Major Davis all sat around the briefing room table.

Walter nodded as he finished giving his report. "Yes, sir. Though a few people, perhaps the Amish, may not have seen it, even they had to have heard about it by now. The media is going crazy. Colonel O'Neill's name and image are appearing all over the world."

Sam shook her head, "It's almost to the point of complete pandemonium, sir. At least neither of the alien races felt inclined to mention the Stargate itself."

"At least there's that," Daniel said dryly.

General Hammond nodded while Major Davis broke in, "However, that leaves our government with the challenge of answering the questions of how two advanced alien races have heard of a Colonel in our Air Force. The President is considering that it may be time to make the Stargate public before things get too far out of hand. Our other allies who are aware of the existence of the Stargate are agreeing and willing to back us up."

"I think we passed the point of things getting too far out of hand long ago, Major," General Hammond said dryly.

"Indeed," Teal'c said.

"Yes, sir," Major Davis agreed.

Then a familiar bright beam of light flashed in the room and deposited a familiar gray figure.

"This occurrence is beginning to be overrated," Teal'c said, looking angrily at the new Asgard.

"Well all I can say is, it's about time," General Hammond said.

"General Hammond, Major Carter, Teal'c, Daniel Jackson," the alien nodded at them all in turn. Then he turned back to General Hammond. "I must apologize for my delay, General Hammond. I had to follow the Sumerian ship out of orbit in order to ensure that they were truly leaving your planet. My name is Kvasir, Thor has sent me to explain the situation and to provide protection for your planet until the time that I am no longer needed here."

"And what exactly is the situation?" General Hammond said, his temper flaring.

"Thank you for the save earlier though, Kvasir," Sam interjected, "I thought I was toast."

"It is what little I can do to repay you and your people, Major Carter, for the help that you have given me and mine." Then the alien turned back to General Hammond. "I am sorry for the incident earlier today. Thor would have liked to explain what was about to happen, but he was in rather a bit of a hurry."

"As we had noticed," Teal'c said, then he added, "we would be most appreciative if you would inform us of the location and health of O'Neill."

Kvasir shook his head. "I'm afraid I do not have that information, free-Jaffa Teal'c. Thor has not informed anyone of his destination in the fear that we could have another leak of security."

"What do you mean, leak of security?" Daniel interrupted, "Are you saying that the Sumerian ship coming here was your fault?"

Kvasir looked ashamed. "I'm afraid so, Daniel Jackson. The truth of the matter is far worse that you may even be thinking at the moment. It is the Asgards' fault that this threat has descended upon your world, though it may have been an inevitable consequence anyway."

"What exactly are you saying, Kvasir?" General Hammond asked.

Kvasir sighed and sat down in a chair across from General Hammond. "I am saying, General, that in part it is the fault of SG-1 for revealing Colonel O'Neill to more advanced races. We tried to prevent information regarding him from reaching other, less benevolent sources, but your excursions into the galaxy have prevented our efforts from being successful. However, we are not entirely without blame."

"See, that's what I don't understand," Daniel said, "why Jack? I mean, he's a great guy, and all," here Daniel frowned and added, "on occasion," then he went on to finish, "but he really isn't all that remarkable. Thor said that he was a step in the evolutionary ladder, but he wasn't the missing link. What could possibly have caught the interest of an advanced race like the Sumerians that would cause them to break a treaty that they have obviously kept until now?"

Kvasir looked at Daniel Jackson in surprise, "You mean you do not know the worth of O'Neill? How is this possible when you live in such close proximity to him?"

Daniel shrugged and looked around the table for some support. Sam just shrugged back. She didn't have a clue what the alien was referring to. Teal'c merely lifted an eyebrow in Kvasir's general direction.

General Hammond finally voiced what they all were thinking, "I'm afraid that you seem to have us all at a disadvantage Kvasir, we don't really know what you are talking about."

Kvasir sadly shook his head. Then he leaned forward and looked at General Hammond, his large eyes blinking slowly. "General," he said, "I was the one who greeted O'Neill as he came through the Stargate to the Asgard homeworld when he head was filled with the knowledge of the Ancients. As I'm sure Loki informed you when you talked to him, for a mere primitive human to take that knowledge and absorb and utilize it, is far beyond anything past generations of humans could hope to accomplish. What you also don't seem to realize, is that it is far beyond even what Asgard brains can comprehend. Perhaps even beyond the Ancients themselves."

As this statement was absorbed by the humans sitting around the table, Kvasir continued, "O'Neill also possesses an ancient gene, which most likely activated the repository of the Ancients, but a small number of other humans on your planet also have this gene. For those that possess it, they would be able to activate any ancient repository as well, but after that, they would be unable to process all the information. If anyone on your planet other than O'Neill had used the device, within two days they would have been completely, as you say, crazy, and they would have been dead by three days." Looking around at the shocked faces around him, he added, "You don't seem to realize the extent of the knowledge that was unraveling in O'Neill's brain. The Ancients technology was far beyond even what the Asgard are capable of. Several of our people have tried to absorb the Ancient's knowledge, but each time has ended in death for the Asgard who attempted it. Even after we tried to repress the knowledge that was placed in their brains, the changes that had occurred were too much for their brains to handle, and they quickly lost control and died. Even placing their consciousness in a new body was not successful as the knowledge came with it, and they merely repeated the process of dying. We have extracted bits and pieces of the knowledge from different repositories, but we have been studying the little we have extracted for as long as I have been alive, and we have still only barely scratched the surface. The repository contained _all the knowledge of the Ancients._ That means that it was more than the knowledge from just one Ancient's mind, it was the knowledge from ALL their minds. I doubt even an Ancient could have handles that much information. I assume you now understand our amazement of O'Neill."

"Actually, no, no, I don't," Daniel said, "I mean, Jack was also dying, would have died, if you hadn't removed the knowledge from his mind. He was able to utilize it, yes, but forgot his own language and the knowledge took over his mind completely. I'm sure the Asgard were able to utilize the knowledge as well. What makes Jack so different than you?"

The Asgard shook his head. "I see you still do not understand. You essential flaw in comprehending is the fact that you seem to think I removed the knowledge from O'Neill's mind. All I did, in fact, was repress it. Jack's mind still contains all the knowledge of the Ancients, and with time, that knowledge will emerge at a slow enough pace that he will be able to retain it, without it overwhelming him, if he lives long enough. Even when we repressed the knowledge of the Ancients in our own people, the changes that had already occurred were too much, and our highly sophisticated brains were overwhelmed soon after. Do you now understand?"

As silence filled the room, Kvasir could see that they began to. He could only hope that Thor was very far away at the moment, and that the Commander would be able to keep O'Neill safe.

* * *

"So, anything I want the ship can make," Jack asked, looking interested.

"Yes, O'Neill," Thor sighed, his patience wearing thin. As much as he usually adored the intricacies of this human, he was discovering a bored O'Neill was a very bad thing. Once O'Neill had been assured that Major Carter had been safely extracted from the Sumerians by the Asgard Thor had sent, he had relaxed. However, with that relaxation had come an influx of boredom.

"So, if I wanted...say...the whole collection of the Simpsons, I could get it?" Jack continued.

"What is the Simpsons?" Thor asked, his face void of any sort of emotion.

Jack exaggerated shock, "Thor! You're telling me you've never heard of the Simpsons? What planet have you been hiding on?"

"I have in fact been on several planets, O'Neill," Thor responded with a completely straight face, "though most of my time has been spent on ships battling the replicators. I have not had time to catch up on my entertainment."

Jack was about to respond, but then he stopped and blinked a couple times. "Catch up on my entertainment?" he repeated. Then he grinned. "Thor, are you pulling one on me? Are you telling me you already know what the Simpsons are?"

Thor nodded sagely. "As you have been told, O'Neill," Thor said, with what may have been a small smirk playing on his little gray lips, "we have studied your race closely. What better means of learning about a civilization than to view their various forms of art?"

Jack outright laughed. It wasn't something he did very often anymore, but he couldn't help it. "Simpsons as art! Now you're talking!" he exclaimed. "Does that mean you already have the collection somewhere on your ship?"

"Second interface over," Thor said, motioning with his head. Rubbing his hands together with glee, Jack was about to punch the button, when the ship was violently rocked. Jack found himself on the floor looking up at Thor as he began to punch numerous buttons.

"What's going on, Thor?" Jack asked.

"We are under attack, O'Neill," Thor responded, never once taking his eyes from his controls.

"Is it the Stupiderians, people, things?" Jack asked.

Thor looked up at him, and Jack could see the terror plain in his large black eyes. "I'm afraid so, O'Neill, I must ask that you conceal yourself from the screen in one of the back compartments for the moment. I will attempt to explain that you are not present. If that doesn't work, I will beam you down to the planet below where you must make your way to the stargate and dial home."

"Thor, buddy," Jack said, "I don't have a GDO with me. I can't get home even if I dialed there."

Thor pushed a button quickly, and a GDO appeared on his weapons consul. "I have created one using the ship," Thor said, "now take it and conceal yourself. However, I must require that until I come for you, you not remove that GDO from your presence. It will also prevent a lock from being formed on your specific DNA pattern by the Sumerians. Now go!"

Jack reluctantly did as asked, but not before looking at Thor one more time and saying, "Take care of yourself, buddy."

"As should you, O'Neill," Thor said, and Jack left the room in time to feel the ship shake one more time. He looked back for one last glimpse of a little gray alien fighting desperately to save his life, and as he left to hide in another room, he couldn't help but feel he was not worth all the effort the little guy was going to, and he wished he could just save the little guy the troubles.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The President of the United States looked around at the Joints Chiefs' worried expressions. He rubbed his temples and then said, "It's too bad these...Sumerians couldn't have waited a few more months for my term to end."

"Yes, sir," said Secretary of Defense said, "but now that we've reached this point we only have two options. We can seize this moment and either end your Presidency on a high note with the American public singing your praises, or as an absolute disaster with you going down as the worst President in US history. I'd advise that you strive to attain the former option."

The President sighed and said, "Of course, Simon. Now, how are we going to go about doing that?"

"Well, we need to take swift and decisive action," Simon said. "We must announce you are going to answer all questions, and get your speech-writers working immediately. We then need to get our allies' representatives over to speak as well. It might be a good idea to get General Hammond and SG-1 back here, and of course, as soon as Colonel O'Neill returns we need to formally introduce him to the world. It might help if he can pull a few strings and get the Asgard to speak on the current administration's behalf as well. That should stop most of the general public's outrage."

"Well," said another member of the Joint Chiefs from the back of the room, "people are already pretty upset. We need to pull out all the reserves we can muster to begin working on damage control."

"This may be the wrong approach, Mr. President," Senator Kinsey interposed.

"What do you mean?" the President quickly asked.

"The American people are going to want a scapegoat, someone that they can blame for the fear they have been experiencing the last few hours. If you could give them someone, an individual to blame for causing this disaster, I can guarantee the public will settle down much quicker and support you faster as well. It might be a good idea to blame the alien threat on those who are actually responsible. It may be time to replace Hammond and install a new command structure at the SGC."

"Sir," Simon quickly interjected, "I respectfully disagree with the Senator. Alienating the very people who have saved our world again and again at this point when an alien threat hangs over us would be sheer stupidity. Not to mention the Asgard would be less likely to help us without Hammond and his command. In my opinion, sir, we need to utilize our resources, not disassociate them."

Other members of the Joint Chiefs began to talk and express their opinions, and through it all, the President sat and calmly listened. His face betrayed nothing of his thoughts, though the debate began to grow heated. Finally he stood up and slowly everyone stopped talking as they turned to look at him.

"The American public," he began, as he clasped his hands behind his back and turned away from the table, "deserves to know the truth." He wheeled around eyes narrowed dangerously as he pointed at Senator Kinsey, "Not just the American public, the world! As the commanding officer of the military, I am directly responsible for the actions of my subordinates, and I will say now, that I am _proud_ of the job that the SGC has done for the last seven years. General Hammond and every member of his command have acted with dignity and respect. Because of them, and particularly the actions of SG-1, we have become allied with some of the most powerful forces in the galaxy.

"Yes, we have made enemies and brought our planet to the brink of total annihilation. I won't deny mistakes have been made, Senator. I also won't deny that there is a bit of an uncontrolled element in some of the individuals that serve under Hammond. However, from what I understand and have been told, every enemy we've made are the kind of people that if we DID ally ourselves with, I would not be able to sleep at night because of the shame. These are inhuman monsters who prey upon our fellow humans, though they may be from other planets, and commit acts so atrocious that if we stood by and did nothing, we would be no better than the Goa'uld.

"Our soldiers have caused more change in the galaxy in the past seven years than have occurred in the last several centuries, or at least, so the Tok'ra claim. They have freed entire planets from Goa'uld dominion and revolutionized science and the Universe as we see it. They have improved our technology and given us defenses that we can use in the future to protect ourselves.

"We must make the American public understand that it was an executive decision for us to keep the program secret, and that the fine officers and personnel of the SGC had no say in the matter. For a reason of national security, they were ordered not to reveal the Stargate. Every action they took was in line with their duty."

The President stopped and his passionate words lingered in the air. He looked around, his cool blue eyes taking in the faces that surrounded the table in front of him.

"Gentlemen," he said softly and slowly, breaking the silence that had fallen as he ceased speaking, "if there must be a scapegoat, as Senator Kinsey proclaims, then I shall place myself on the altar."

The silence came again as the President slowly lowered himself back into his seat. His posture was straight and his demeanor foreboding. Even Kinsey seemed cowed for the moment. Then Simon, the Secretary of Defense stood up. "Well, sir," he said, with a slight smile on his face, "I think your speech is already written."

* * *

"So," Daniel said, addressing Kvasir, "let's say you're right about Jack's brain being very advanced. What do the Sumerians want with him?"

Kvasir blinked slowly and cocked his head. "We are unsure," he admitted. "There could be a variety of reasons, any of which are harmful to O'Neill's continued existence."

"Like...what?" Sam asked, her face very serious as she leaned forward.

Kvasir blinked his large black eyes at Major Carter and then turned to General Hammond. "If you will excuse me, General Hammond, I am receiving a communication from my ship. I will return momentarily."

As the Asgard disappeared in a flash of light, Sam growled, "He's avoiding the question."

General Hammond nodded and sighed, leaning back. "I have no doubt about that, but at the moment we're are in the hands of the Asgard. Now excuse me, I have to go speak to the President."

As General Hammond left the room, the remaining members of SG-1 exchanged looks.

"What are you making of this, Daniel?" Sam asked, her expression troubled.

"Well, we always knew that Jack was smarter than he let on, and I know the Asgard are about as advanced as you can get, but I just don't think I can believe this. I mean, I _know_ Jack, at least as much as anybody alive. He can be amazing, but...he's just..._Jack_!" at this point words failed Daniel and he waved his arms in frustration and stood up, pacing back and forth.

"I know what you mean," Sam sighed, leaning back in her chair, "If the knowledge was simply repressed, wouldn't we have noticed some sign that Jack still retained that knowledge? He's good at subterfuge, but nobody can go that long living in secret. Something would have slipped."

"You are incorrect, Major Carter," Teal'c said, and at the sound of his voice, both Daniel and Sam stopped their nervous movements and gave their full attention to Teal'c. He rarely said much, but when he did it was always important. He had grown more talkative over the years as he had grown more comfortable with them, but he still chose his words carefully.

Teal'c looked at his two friend sadly and said, "I am not from your planet, Major Carter, and because of that, I have had a unique perception of the culture and customs of your people. Some of these customs have been...strange. Almost beyond my comprehensive grasp. Among these many enigmas, I have often observed interesting and what some would call dishonorable behavior between the members of SG-1. Often, you and Daniel Jackson have dismissed what O'Neill has said as unimportant. You take what he says and you interpret it in your own way. I have observed numerous occasions when O'Neill would say just the right thing to push you on the path toward success. We have all underestimated him on numerous occasions. I would bring to your minds the time when O'Neill went undercover and we all believed he had abandoned us and our principles."

Daniel looked a little abashed and muttered, "You mean the time when he stole the object from the Tollans and pretended to retire?"

"Indeed," Teal'c nodded, and then continued. "I, as much as the rest of you, was confused and hurt by his behavior. He made me believe, even when I thought I knew him, that he had turned away from us. I, to my utter shame, believed he had left us for good. And in that moment, I was prepared to leave the SGC."

"Oh, Teal'c!" Sam said, aghast, "Why?"

Teal'c was silent for a moment, and then said, "The true question would be Major Carter, why did I stay? The man in whom I had placed my trust and abandoned my people for had suddenly turned against everything I thought he stood for. How could I ever trust a member of the Tau'ri again?"

As Daniel and Sam exchanged a look, a moment of understanding passed between them, and then Daniel asked, "Why _did_ you stay, Teal'c?"

Teal'c looked at them both and then he said, "I knew in my heart that O'Neill could not possibly have acted the way he did, though my mind told me otherwise. When he appeared through the gate with his prisoners in tow, I was not surprised. Instead, my suspicions were merely confirmed. I knew that my brother would not betray me."

"Brother?" Daniel asked confused.

Sam also seemed surprised at the term. "I knew you guys were close, T, but I didn't realize..."

Teal'c smiled, "When two Jaffa share many battles they become as brothers. O'Neill is as a brother to me, and I know he would die instantly for me. Is his relationship with you any different?"

Daniel and Sam exchanged another look and Sam flushed slightly. Daniel wisely decided not to comment on that and instead said, "No. I feel the same. SG-1 is my family. The only family I have."

"And yet," Teal'c said, "who is O'Neill's family?"

"Us, of course," Carter instantly replied.

Teal'c shook his head. "You have misunderstood. What do you truly know of O'Neill? Who are his parents? Does he have true brothers or sisters? What experiences have shaped him and made him the man that he has become?"

As Daniel and Sam stared at Teal'c they slowly began to understand the point he was trying to make. "We don't really know Jack at all," Daniel breathed, a troubled expression crossing his features.

"I fear that you know more of me, a Jaffa," Teal'c said, "than you do of O'Neill, a Tau'ri, one of your own. You know of my father, my childhood friend, and my mentor, Master Bra'tac. It is true that O'Neill keeps many things hidden in the depths of his heart, because though he would give his life for us, he does not fully trust us. I feel that he realized he could not do so on that day when, under orders, he was forced to lie to us. True family would have seen through the deception, knowing the valor of the man beneath. How could O'Neill trust us after our reactions to his transformation? How could we explain our actions when we were able to believe that he would betray us all? How could we allow his actions to undermine what we should have know in our hearts? I know you felt betrayed that day, but truly, we were the betrayers. For we did not understand him then, nor do we now."

Teal'c stopped speaking and lapsed back into his usual stoic silence. Daniel and Sam had no reply, and all three sat in silence each deep in their own thoughts, until a bright light appeared and Kvasir once again was before them.

* * *

Jack didn't walk far away. He wanted to be able to hear what was going on between Thor and whatever over-the-top villians were pursuing them.

The ship continued to be rocked with explosions until finally for a few moments, the ship was still. Then he heard Thor's angry voice. The Asgard must have know he was listening, because he broadcasted his outrage in English.

"This is Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet. You are encroaching upon unauthorized space. Explain your purpose immediately or you will be destroyed."

The communication screen, though Jack couldn't see it, made a small sound as it was activated.

"Ah, Thor," a pleasant voice said, that instantly caused Jack to tense up and crouch down defensively, ready for trouble. "It is surprising to find you so far from home. Running a few errands?"

"I have heard of your actions on the planet we have designated 439-1159. You have already violated our treaty today, Samoth. Do not try my patience."

"Thor, Thor, Thor," the pleasant voice said, sadly, "I'm afraid your threats aren't what they used to be. However, we would be willing to leave, immediately even, if you would simply hand over the creature called Colonel Jack O'Neill."

"Colonel Jack O'Neill is not aboard my vessel," Thor said, his voice betraying his anger, "and even if he was, under section 492..."

"Blah, blah, blah," the voice said, interrupting Thor, "I've heard this already from your stooge Kvasir. Please don't torture me with more formalities. We both know you don't have the power to back up the treaty anymore. The Ancients are gone enjoying their delightful, pointless, supposed ascension, the Nox have turned into peace-loving pacifists who'd hide from a fight as soon as run away, the Asgard are slowly dying a tortuous death of having to bear the company of the same annoying individuals that they had around when they started the cloning process, and the Furlings..."

"I get your point, Samoth," Thor interrupted. "However, you underestimate us. Our ships have become far more powerful than they were in the past. The Asgard can stand against you themselves."

Jack could hear the smile in Samoth's voice as he replied, "You have grown more powerful, small Asgard? And so have my Masters, oh supreme commander. In fact, they..." Samoth was about to continue, when a new voice entered the ship. Jack felt his eardrums pop as it began speaking, and strangely his teeth began to chatter as a deep cold settled in his bones, carried by the power of the voice itself.

"Thor," the new voice said. It seemed soft, but the presence behind it made it carry far beyond what it should have, "let's stop these silly games. Is war really worth one individual? We have lived in peace for countless years. You know you cannot defeat the might of my forces if you decide to declare war against me. You galaxy will fall, and we will get what we want anyway. Is your pointless resistance truly worth the risk? We will keep the treaty, we simply want the individual you call Colonel Jack O'Neill. And don't bother denying he's onboard your ship. I can feel his mind from here."

"Then you must be getting old," Thor said, "for I swear to you..." the rest of Thor's statement was lost as Jack suddenly felt the familiar feeling of Asgard beaming technology and found himself on a strange planet's surface.

Jack growled to himself as he looked up hoping for some sign of Thor's ship so he could see what was going on. Instead of seeing Thor's ship, he was given his first glimpse of the enemy's vessel, and it was not a pretty site. Thor's ship was obviously cloaked, but the creatures that inhabited the other vessel, were obviously not worried about being spotted. The ship was huge! Far bigger than any Asgard ship Jack had ever seen, and though sharp looking spines protruded from every inch, it still managed to look sleek and deadly.

Jack felt the small hairs rise on the back of his neck and he wheeled around in time to see something duck behind a nearby bush. He had been on enough missions to know when someone was watching him. Growling at himself for not asking Thor for a weapon, he picked up a nearby stick and cautiously walked toward the bush.

"Come on out," he said, in his most dangerous tones.

The bushes rustled, and then a small head popped out and two wide, frightened, green eyes stared at him. Disgusted with himself, Jack dropped the stick and crouched down, extending a hand.

"Hello, little guy," Jack said to the boy, "where'd you come from?"

The child was dressed in strange clothes that looked like several animal skins glued together to form one cohesive garment. He stared at Jack for a few more seconds, and then a slow smile crept over his face as he seemed to realize that Jack meant him no harm.

"Are you an angel?" the boy asked, startling Jack.

"What?" was the only response Jack could think of.

"You appeared in a flash of bright light! I think you must be fleeing the Gods above. Come, I will take you somewhere safe."

Jack shook his head a little surprised by the kid's reasoning. "Look, kid," he began, "I'm not..." at that moment a bright light beamed from the spiny ship above starting far off in the distance, but drawing nearer to Jack's position.

"Hurry," the boy said, tugging on Jack's arm, "we will hide you before the Gods find you."

Jack ran after the kid, keeping his eye on the white light that was ever drawing closer. He knew that if it reached him, he was done for.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed and read this story. I regret to inform you that starting tomorrow I'll be leaving. (For more information, see my profile.) Until I return, I hope these two new chapters will tide you over. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

"There is a problem," Kvasir said without preamble as he reappeared in the briefing room.

"What's wrong?" asked Daniel, already troubled by what Teal'c had said to him.

"The Sumerians have caught up with Thor. He and Colonel O'Neill had traveled great distances, but it wasn't far enough. Thor attempted to convince the Sumerians that O'Neill was not on board, and took off, trying to use himself as a decoy to draw the Sumerians away from the planet that he has beamed O'Neill down to. He provided O'Neill with a GDO before he left to give him access to your iris."

General Hammond nodded at Walter, "Go get on that, Sergeant."

"Yes, sir," Walter said and took off running toward the control room.

"So, did the Sumerians take the bait?" Sam said, "Did they follow Thor?"

Kvasir shook his large head, "We are unsure. We won't know until they either engage Thor or O'Neill returns."

"And what if O'Neill does not return?" Teal'c growled.

Kvasir looked deeply troubled, "Then we have failed." Then the small alien brightened up and said, "But do not worry, we have great confidence in O'Neill's abilities. We are sure he will be able to reach the gate."

There was a pause in the conversation as they all listened for the familiar sound of an Offworld Activation to begin. When a few moments passed, they all turned their gaze back to Kvasir.

"Do not be troubled," he said, "I am sure he is fine."

* * *

Jack ran after the little boy, wishing he would run faster. The light was gaining on them with ever increasing speed.

"Listen, kid," Jack said, "are you sure where we're going will shield us from the sensors?"

"Yes, Angel," the boy called back, "the cave has been a protection from the Gods for my whole life."

"That's comforting," Jack muttered under his breath, "and how long have you been alive exactly?"

"In here!" the boy yelled, interrupting Jack's thoughts. The boy then seemed to disappear into the side of a nearby hill. Without thinking about it, Jack followed and wasn't too surprised to find a fissure in the rock. He leapt inside, just as the white beam reached them.

"I don't know if this will work," Jack whispered to the boy, "after all I _live_ under a mountain and..."

"Quiet!" the boy said, hunkering down. Jack did as he was told. After a few moments, the white light seemed to move on.

Then the same powerful voice that Jack had heard on board Thor's ship began to boom across the planet's surface.

"I know you are down there, O'Neill. Thor may have tried to hide the fact that he beamed you down by firing upon my ship, but I sensed your mind land on the surface. We have no wish to harm you. Simply surrender and I will beam you up to my ship. We need to have a chat. Please don't assume I'm your enemy in this matter," the voice said, suddenly becoming softer and more pleasant, "the Asgard are not as selfless as they may seem."

Jack held still barely breathing having no wish to draw more attention to himself. However, as the voice began to speak again, Jack felt a powerful force begin to place pressure upon his mind. He fought the compulsion and his limbs began to shake from the battle being waged in his head.

"Come to me, Prince of the Tau'ri," the voice crooned, "and I will give you all knowledge."

Jack could feel his body begin to respond, but he suddenly found himself face down in the ground as the boy next to him tackled his legs. Jack mentally thanked the child, and then worked to close his mind as he had the time when Urgo had invaded his thoughts. Slowly, he could feel himself pushing the other force out of his mind and with a final surge, he found himself free of the entity. However, as he did so, a harsh scream rang over the land that made both he and the child clap their hands over their ears.

"I will find you," the voice hissed, "there is nowhere for you to hide. For I am _**AN**_, GOD OF THE SKY!" And then everything was silent.

Jack sat up, breathing heavily. The small child next to him looked at him with a concerned expression.

"You must have made the Gods very angry," the child said, and Jack couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"So it would seem," he muttered. Then he turned to the child, "What's your name?"

"I am called Tuk," the kid said, with a large innocent smile. "What's your name, angel?"

"I'm not an angel," Jack protested, "my name's Jack."

"Come, Angel Jack," the boy said, taking Jack's hand, "and I'll take you to my village. The elders will welcome you."

Jack looked at the boy. "Look, Tuk," he said, "I need to find a big, stone ring. We call it the Stargate, some others call it the Chappa'ai. Do you know where it is?"

The boy's eyes widened, and he nodded, biting his lower lip. "I do," he said, "but it is not safe to travel to the gate. The Trulvi guard that gate."

"The what?" Jack asked, feeling lead settle into his gut.

"The men-like creatures who have symbols of demons on their heads and demons in their stomachs. They carry weapons that spit fire and serve the evil Gods."

"Swell," Jack said, "Jaffa. And now they undoubtably know I'm here thanks to Mr. I'll-Announce-Your-Presence-To-The-Whole-Planet."

"Do you really need to get to the gate?" Tuk asked.

"Yes," Jack said, "I really do."

The boy nodded. "Then I think we can help you. Come with me."

As Jack followed the small child through the underground tunnels, he couldn't help but wonder if he was doing the right thing. A little ways to the North, a black light deposited a tall, graceful humanoid onto the surface of the planet. His black eyes scoured the land around him. Somehow, the human O'Neill had managed to hide his presence from Samoth's Masters. So, they had sent their pet Samoth to track him down. Samoth was looking forward to a challenge. He only hoped O'Neill would live up to his expectations.

* * *

"My fellow Americans," the President's voice echoed through the SGC as he began his speech directly in front of the Stargate, cameras recording his every movement. Many reporters had been allowed into the SGC for the first time in order to record the President's monumental speech. "The events of this day have placed a terrible strain upon our nation. Never before in the history of our planet, have beings from another planet approached us, at least to the general public's knowledge. However, I am here to reveal to all Americans and to the world, what has for the past eight years been the best kept secret on our planet. Please reserve your judgement until I have finished speaking.

"In 1928, near Giza, in Egypt, this object that you see behind me was discovered buried in the sand. For years our top military and scientific minds tried to discover what its possible purpose might have been. Finally, in 1993, a man named Dr. Daniel Jackson was recruited.

"Dr. Jackson had been laughed out of the academic circle for his theories on the great pyramids. He had claimed that they were in fact built by aliens to be landing pads for their ships. It was only through Dr. Jackson's unique and unfiltered perspective of the galaxy that we were able to open the Stargate for the first time. Yes, my fellow Americans, it is called a Stargate. Using a system created by Major Samantha Carter of the United States Air Force, we were able to dial this gate using the coordinates Dr. Jackson had supplied. A team led by a man named Colonel Jack O'Neill was sent through this gate to another planet."

At Jack's name, a murmur began to stir up amongst the reporters. The President waited for the commotion to die down and then he continued, "I see that you recognize the name. This all may sound farfetched, but I swear to you on my oath as President that this has all happened. You have seen the spaceship that approached Earth. We are giving you the whole and unfettered truth.

"The Stargate is a device the creates a stable wormhole between two separate gates, specified by the coordinates you input on the gate. Once a wormhole is created, people and objects are able to step into the wormhole where they are broken apart, transported across the galaxy, and reassembled. Though this sounds very dangerous, it was actually discovered to be a quite safe form of travel. However, the galaxies we found on the other side were not devoid of danger.

"Almost immediately, Colonel O'Neill and his team became enemies with horrible creatures called the Goa'uld who had originally enslaved our ancestors in Egypt. They were the race that had built the pyramids as landing platforms, proving Dr. Jackson's theories to be correct. They also had enslaved and removed many individuals whom they started as slave colonies on other planets.

"Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson, managed to defeat Ra, the name of the first Goa'uld they encountered, but upon their return it was discovered that many more Goa'uld existed than just Ra, and they were each as equally evil and deadly. Stargate Command, otherwise known as the SGC was established in order to battle this threat, and it was decided by an executive vote that the Stargate would remain a secret from the general public. General Hammond was placed as the head of the SGC and has done an admirable job. Colonel O'Neill was appointed as the commanding officer of the SGC's flagship unit designated SG-1. He and his team have defeated countless foes and saved our world on numerous occasions. None of you would be standing here free and alive, if not for General Hammond, Colonel O'Neill, and the other members of this command.

"I know that this all seems very far-fetched, and you will only believe once you see with you own eyes. Therefore, we have asked some of our alien allies to come and introduce themselves to the people of Earth."

At that moment, the chevrons lit up, and Sergeant Harriman's voice boomed over the intercom, "Offworld activation!"

The iris behind the stayed open long enough for the event horizon to form and the jet of water to spew out, causing the numerous reporters to jump back in fear.

"Receiving Bra'tac's IDC," Walter continued, and left the iris open. Bra'tac and Rya'c stepped through the wormhole to find dozens of stunned individuals staring at them in shock.

Bra'tac chuckled and motioned forward. "Rya'c, if you would do the honors."

Rya'c, now a young handsome Jaffa, stepped forward, a broad welcoming grin on his face. "I am Rya'c, son of Teal'c," he stated in a clear, confident voice, "I am of a race of people known as the Jaffa. Long ago, my ancestors were removed from this planet by the Goa'uld and enslaved. Our bodies were changed to become incubators for the Goa'uld, and were made to believe that they were our Gods. THIS is their true form," Rya'c announced, and without further ado pulled up his shirt and the Goa'uld inside emerged. Two of the reporters screamed and one fainted.

"We believed there was no hope of freedom," Rya'c continued, allowing his shirt to cover his pouch once more, "until O'Neill and his team came to Chulak, my home planet, and convinced my father to stand against his God for freedom. Since then, the free Jaffa have become strong. I stand before you, proud to call myself ally, and friend, of Earth."

Bra'tac nodded and added his two cents. "We owe much to the members of the SGC, and ask for your forgiveness for this deception. We would like to become as brothers to all the people of Earth."

There was silence as the two warriors stopped speaking, and then they went and sat down in the chairs behind the President. For an instant there was stunned silence, and then one person began clapping. The entire group of people who were present rose to their feet, touched by these two aliens that they had never in their wildest dreams imagined meeting.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jack followed the boy as he ran swiftly through the tunnels. Dim light surrounded them, but Jack was able to easily follow in the footsteps of the boy. It seemed a long time, but only fifteen minutes passed before they emerged from the tunnel into an open space.

A small village was in front of them, with thatched roofs and a few people wandered around, but at the sight of Jack and Tuk, all stopped and watched as they approached.

"Uh, Tuk?" Jack asked, "Are you sure these folks are friendly?"

"Yes, Angel Jack." Tuk replied, "They are after all, my people."

They walked in an eerie silence toward the center of the town. Each villager they passed filed behind them until Jack felt like he was leading a parade. An old man stood in the center of the village, and Tuk came to a stop in front of him. Jack stopped as well. The other villagers formed a circle around Jack, Tuk, and the old man, and Jack couldn't help feeling a little trapped. Silently, he began to appraise the man in front of him.

The man was ancient. It was hard to tell how old, because he had a sort of ageless quality to him. The boy ran forward and hugged the man's knees and said, "Yalgot, this is Angel Jack. He appeared in a bright flash of light from the sky, and the Gods are very angry with him. He needs our help to get to the _Culgreir._ Can we help him, Yalgot, please?"

The old man smiled, and at that instant, Jack decided that he liked him. "Angel Jack, is it?" The man said, lifting an eyebrow skeptically. "Very well, we shall aid you. We prefer to stay hidden from the Trulvi, but on occasion we are willing to take the risk. Saving an angel definitely seems to be worth a bit of a risk."

"Aw, for crying out loud!" Jack said. "If you're going to risk your lives to help me, I need to tell you that I'm most definitely not an angel. I'm just a regular person."

"A regular person who causes the Gods to be so angry that the ground itself trembles?" the man asked with a knowing smile. "If Tuk has deemed you to be an angel, an angel you shall be. He is wise for his youth. Allow us to help you. The risk to our lives is less than you think it is."

Jack bit his lip and looked around at the people. They now looked at him with open, trusting gazes, and Jack slowly nodded. Weaponless and defenseless, he sure could use some help. "Alright, Yalgot, what's the plan?"

The old man smiled, and Jack grinned back in reply. He was feeling a lot better about things already.

* * *

Two Jaffa warriors stood by the Chappa'ai

"That was a little different anyway," the older one was saying, "I've never heard anything like it, not even from Ptah."

"That voice," the younger said, shivering slightly, "it sent chills to my very bones. And did you hear what it said? Colonel O'Neill is on this planet."

"I've heard of him," the older one said, "they say he's a real pain in the _mikta_. There is a bounty like you wouldn't believe on his head. Especially from Ba'al. We'd better stay alert. Anyone who can cause the Gods that much trouble must be very dangerous."

"Well, all I can say is bring it on," the younger replied, fingering his zat, "This has got to be the most boring planet in existence. Nothing ever happens here. Why are there so many of us here anyway?"

"They say," the older warrior said, "that it is not always quiet. Sometimes the beings who live here rise in revolt, and when they do, the strength of many is needed."

"What can they do against the servants of the great God, Ptah?" the younger one asked with a sneer.

The older Jaffa grinned and began to speak when suddenly a plumed dart blossomed in his throat, and he collapsed. "Rel'kak!" the other cried as he grabbed for his Zat'nik'tel. An instant later, another dart appeared in his arm and with a cry, he collapsed as well.

The other Jaffa began to react, and with shouts of rage, raced toward the two, and one by one they fell, each one with a dart in his arm. The attack was swift and deadly, only a few Jaffa even managed to fire their staff weapons. In less than three minutes, not one Jaffa was left standing. Jack stepped out from where he had been concealed and grinned broadly, lowering his own blow dart gun, or _Rhtair,_ as the natives called it. A name he could never hope to pronounce.

The other villagers quickly emerged as well. "Are they dead?" Jack asked.

Yalgot shook his head. "No. We are peaceful by nature. The darts merely contained a sedative. They will sleep for approximately four hours. You should have plenty of time to escape."

"Excellent," Jack said, rubbing his hands together. The impersonation was lost on the villagers though, and Jack decided that for now, he would just let that one go. Instead, he turned to the old man, and shook his hand. "I can't ever thank you enough, Yalgot. I'm from a planet that is currently fighting the same threat that you face. We'd love to help. We could liberate you from this threat permanently."

Yalgot shook his head. "No. This threat is minimal. We are neither molested or bothered by the Trulvi. We have no need of the _Culgreir_, so it does not bother us that they guard it so ferociously. We are merely grateful for the opportunity to help you, Angel Jack. Now be gone. I do not feel that it is wise for you to linger any longer."

Jack gratefully inclined his head. "I thank you again, Yalgot. And of course, we couldn't have done it without you, Tuk," Jack said turning to look for the boy who had been just behind him a minute ago. He was nowhere in sight.

Baffled, Jack looked around and asked "Tuk? Where are you?"

"Are you looking for this?" a smooth voice asked, from just behind the Stargate. Jack wheeled around to find a stranger holding the struggling boy in his arms. The man was tall, with shaggy brown hair, and he held the fiercely struggling boy with no effort at all. He moved with deadly grace as he stood in front of the Stargate, and smiled pleasantly at Jack.

"Let him go!" Jack demanded, angrily. "Who are you?"

"My name is Samoth," the man-like figure said, bowing deeply, and his large black eyes gleamed dangerously. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Colonel Jack O'Neill. I have heard so much about you. I have been sent by AN to retrieve you, and now that I have found you, He will be here momentarily to take you onto his ship. Please comply. We would all be greatly distressed if you were to force us to injure you."

"Probably not as distressed as I would be," Jack said, "and thank you for the invitation, but I must regretfully decline. If you would like to talk to my secretary, maybe she could schedule you for an appointment, in like......a million years or so?"

At that moment, Samoth did something totally unexpected. He began to laugh. It was rather a pleasant sound, but the dark feeling behind the man contrasted so completely, that the laugh only caused shivers to run up the back of Jack's neck. Samoth stopped laughing and said with a broad grin, "I had heard you had a sense of humor. How pleased I am to learn that was not incorrect. Only the most intelligent species are able to understand the subtle nuances of humor." Samoth continued to smile pleasantly for a moment, and then his expression hardened and his eyes narrowed. "However, I must clarify the intent of your statement. Does that mean you are refusing to comply?"

"Yeah, buddy. That would be right. And that is my answer. Not in a million, zillion years. So, just buzz off," Jack said, keeping his voice light and trying to avoid looking at Tuk, who had stopped struggling and was now staring at Jack with a hopeful expression.

"Unfortunately, even if you are not willing, you have no choice," Samoth said. "Even if you were to get past me and through the gate to your home planet, another ship is waiting just outside of the idiot Asgard's sensors to retrieve you, should you return. It was fairly easy to predict where to find you, after all. There is only one way off of this planet for you, and that is through the Stargate. And eventually you must return home." Samoth's face looked carved from granite as his expression changed to a sneer, and he said, "There really is no escape. The ship will be here in ten minutes. Simply wait patiently until it comes."

"Why so long?" Jack asked. "Isn't your boss just above the planet?"

Samoth's face lost a little of its sneer, and the pleasantly creepy smile replaced it as he said, "He had to run a little errand. He will return momentarily. He entrusted your search into my care, and, to be honest, He expected it would take me a little longer to find you. He overestimated you, and I must admit, I was expecting a bit more as well."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Jack said, and he raised his blowgun to his lips and fired it at the man. Surprise lit Samoth's features for an instant and he blurred as he tossed Tuk to the side and dodged the dart. The other villagers, catching Jack's signal followed suit and a volley of darts flew at Samoth. Samoth grunted and concentrated on avoiding the darts as Jack dodged around the volley and raced to Tuk's side. Tuk was just groggily raising himself from the ground.

"You okay, kid?" Jack asked.

Tuk nodded and smiled at Jack, and stated, "You saved me, Angel Jack!"

"Well, I had a little help," Jack said. "Now run and get back to the village. While he's distracted I'm gonna dial out of here."

Tuk nodded, jumped up, and raced away. Jack only waited long enough to see that he was out of range, and then he scrambled over to the DHD. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Samoth continuing to dodge the villagers' darts, and the volley seemed to be lessening. Jack didn't have much time. He began to dial in the coordinates for the Alpha Site. If Earth wasn't safe, he'd take the next best thing.

Jack was quick, but he wasn't quite quick enough. He was on the fourth chevron, when a hand grabbed his wrist, preventing it from hitting the next symbol.

"Well, that was a better challenge," Samoth's smooth voice hissed in his ear, "but I'm afraid your fun has come to an end. Those peons you employed have vanished. They seem to have run out of what weak weapons they had. What's your grand scheme now?"

Jack turned and smiled brightly at him before he said, "Just this!" and plunged the dart that had been in his hand into the thigh of the creature beside him. Samoth howled and released his grip, stumbling backward. He blinked his eyes and staggered a bit, fighting the powerful sedative in the dart. Jack continued to hit the remaining three symbols. The stargate shot to life. He entered the code on his GDO and waited impatiently for the signal.

Luckily, it came swiftly, and Jack raced toward the Stargate and freedom, only to be hit from the side, by a flying tackle from Samoth. "Fool!" Samoth roared in his face, all control gone, spittle flying from his mouth, "Do you think such a weak chemical could overpower ME? I am the last of the _Ienalegesks. _There is a reason I was chosen by the mighty AN!"

Jack wheezed from the ground, "And here I thought it was your football tackling skills." Then he grimaced and added, "Or your bad breath."

Samoth surged from the ground gripping Jack by the shoulders and yanked him off the ground into the air. Samoth easily held the only slightly smaller man in his powerful grip, and growled, "If they didn't want you unharmed so badly, I'd kill you right now."

"Aw, come on, Samboy. What happened to your sense of humor?" Jack quipped.

Interestingly, that seemed to calm Samoth down slightly. He staggered a little and placed Jack's feet on the ground, though he maintained his grip. He hung his head for a moment, and when he finally raised it, the pleasant grin was back on his features. "How right you are, human," Samoth said. "I apologize for my temper."

"And all will be forgiven if you simply remove your hands and let me go through the Stargate," Jack said, brightly.

Samoth shook his head, "You are proving to be quite the handful."

Jack grinned, "That's what my mother always said too," and then jumped from the ground and hammered his feet into Samoth, flinging himself backward away from the alien.

Samoth lost his grip, and they fell away from each other. Jack knew he only had a few seconds left before the Stargate closed, and he launched himself to his feet and raced toward the gate. He touched the event horizon with his hand, just as a hand landed on his shoulder and yanked him backward. The Stargate closed with a sudden whoosh, and as Jack landed on his rump, he saw his remaining hope disappear with the event horizon.

Samoth appeared in front of Jack and grabbing a fist full of his shirt he yanked him to his feet and yelled, "YOU LITTLE...."

The rest of what he might have said was lost as ring transporters appeared around the two, and they disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

Sam sat staring at the gate, not really seeing it. It had been eight hours since the Asgard had informed them that Thor had left Jack on another planet, and their hopes of him returning were slowly fading. The tv reporters were all now being shown around the base, and out of respect of the current situation, they had not been given the opportunity to interview SG-1 yet. Sam could only thank heaven for Hammond and his kindness. She was not up to answering a lot of questions just yet.

She jumped as a hand settled on her shoulder and turned to see Teal'c. "Oh, sorry, Teal'c. I guess I'm not very alert right now."

"Which is why I have determined to bring you coffee, Major Carter," Teal'c said with his gentle smile, extending the steaming drink toward her.

Sam took it gratefully and began to sip it as her gaze again turned toward the gate.

"Do not worry, Major Carter," Teal'c said. "Colonel O'Neill is very resourceful."

"I know, Teal'c," Sam said, "however, this is beyond everything we have faced until now. I mean, what if the Colonel can't even find the Stargate? He could hopelessly be lost on some planet!"

"I do not believe that is the case, Major Carter," Teal'c said.

At that moment, the chevrons blazed to life, and the alert "Incoming wormhole" was heard around the base.

"Could it be...?" Sam said, already jumping to her feet and racing toward the control room, Teal'c right behind her.

They got in the room just in time to hear General Hammond bark, "Report!"

"This is Sargent Woods from the Alpha Site, sir," a voice on the other end said. Sam felt her hopes drop, and Teal'c rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Daniel burst into the room an instant later and yelled, "Is it Jack?"

"A moment, Dr. Jackson," Hammond said, gently. Then he turned back to the communication. "Well, Sargent Woods, what seems to be the problem?"

"No problem, sir," Sargent Woods said, "just an odd event that we thought we ought to report to you. About ten minutes ago, we had an incoming wormhole and we received SG-1's code, sir."

Sam, Teal'c, and Daniel all exchanged triumphant grins. "That has to be Jack!" Daniel cried.

"However," Sargent Woods continued, "the wormhole was open for about five minutes and then it just shut, sir. We thought we ought to report that to you. We have the coordinates for the planet that the wormhole came from and are sending them to you right now."

"Thank you, Sargent, is there anything else?" General Hammond said.

"No, sir, the gate's been silent since then."

"Thank you, Sargent. Please keep me informed."

"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"

A few seconds later, the gate shut off with a familiar whoosh.

"Well," Hammond said, "at least we know he found the gate. I wonder what happened."

"Why didn't he just dial here?" Sam asked.

"Another very good question, Major Carter. One among many that have yet to be answered today." For a moment, Hammond looked very tired, and very old. "Sometimes," he said, "I hate aliens."

He paused, and then he looked up and said, "No offense, Teal'c."

"It is fine, General Hammond. I also am frustrated by the events of today. Things do not seem to be precisely what they seem."

Daniel nodded his head. "You got that right, Teal'c. There's something fishy about this whole situation."

Their voices continued to drone on in the background, but Sam had stopped listening, her eyes once again glued on the gate.

It stayed silent.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Jack and Samoth were deposited in a place that made Jack groan with the familiarity. The Jaffa surrounding them with raised weapons added another clue of just where they were. Samoth's eyes widened as he looked around, and he growled, "You just made a big mistake, Goa'uld. AN will not be pleased by this."

"Fire," a voice pronounced and both Jack and Samoth were struck by the electric charge of a zat gun. Jack felt the familiar jolt and he collapsed to the ground. His brain was still alert however. He groaned and groused, "You get struck by enough of those, and you stop losing consciousness when they hit you. It just REALLY hurts."

"Silence, human," the voice of a goa'uld commanded. Jack rolled his eyes, and saw that Samoth, though swaying slightly, was still on his feet.

"Very interesting," the Goa'uld remarked. "Fire at him again."

Another jolt hit Samoth, and he collapsed next to Jack. Jack was surprised to find that Samoth was still breathing. Jack attempted to get up, but a staff weapon was pushed firmly into his throat and he looked up to see an angry Jaffa face staring at him.

"Something tells me that you aren't here to help me up," Jack quipped. The Jaffa's face, if anything grew even uglier and he raised the weapon.

"_This has not been a good day,"_ was Jack's last thought before the staff weapon was struck solidly against his head, and he lost consciousness.

* * *

Jack woke up to find himself once again in a Goa'uld holding cell. "Oh, brother," Jack said, "Can't they come up with anything new?"

"What'd you expect?" Samoth's voice said, sounding very near, "They all have the same thoughts and memories, how are they supposed to do anything different?"

"Well, maybe some flowers would be nice. Or for once, they could lock us up in a really nice room. That would be neat."

Samoth chuckled wearily.

"Where are you anyway, Samboy?" Jack asked.

"In the cell next to you. If it wasn't for that stupid sedative you injected me with, I would have been able to take out those Jaffa, and we wouldn't be in this situation."

"No," Jack mumbled, "we'd probably be in a worse one. At least THIS situation, I know how to deal with."

"AN doesn't want to hurt you," Samoth said. "He just wants to talk."

"And after we're done talking, is he just going to let me go home?" Jack snapped angrily.

There was a long moment of silence.

"Didn't think so," Jack retorted, and he settled back to wait for their gloating captors.

* * *

Sam softly knocked on Daniel's door. "Come in!" came the muffled cry from inside.

Sam opened the door. "Hey, Daniel," she said. "What're you up too?"

Daniel's head popped up from a pile of books, and he wearily blinked at her. "I've been researching the Sumerians. Trying to see what I could come up with to fight them."

"That's a good idea. Have you found anything yet?"

"A bit. It's rather fascinating, really. I had studied Sumeria before, but never with the same sense of..."

"Just skip to the relevant part, please Daniel," Sam said, dropping into a chair and putting her tired head into her hands.

"Right," Daniel said, looking guilty, "sorry, Sam. Anyway, the Sumerians are a bit different from the Goa'uld. There was no central power core of Gods. Each individual town and city had its own set of Gods, though you could say that all the minor Gods were descended from an original matrix of Gods comprised of An, God of the sky and his...consort, if you will, whom they called Ki, Godess of the Earth. Then there was the God of beneficence Enki, Enlil the Lord of the Ghost-lands, Inanna the God of the western and eastern star, Utu the sun God, and Nanna the moon God. These were the Gods who originally introduced agriculture to primitive humans and allowed them to begin to develop reading and writing as they settled into one place. I haven't found anything particularly evil from the ancient writings. I mean, from all sources, it seems as though the Sumerian Gods helped and cultivated the primitive humans. I'm still looking though."

"How does any of that help Colonel O'Neill," Sam asked tiredly.

"Well...it doesn't really," Daniel said, but then he perked up and added, "but now we can at least shout insults at them and say their names while we are doing it."

Sam looked a little surprised and then chuckled. "Yes, Daniel," she said smiling, "that's our battle plan. We'll resort to name-calling and I'm sure they'll leave us alone."

Grinning, Daniel began chanting, "Stupid An, in a pan, ran over by a big red van..."

Just then, Teal'c entered, and Daniel's voice quickly faded away. Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow at the two and then said, "General Hammond requests our presence."

Sheepishly, Daniel and Sam exchanged a look and then both followed Teal'c out the door.

* * *

"I am Ptah," the Goa'uld pronounced as Jack was led in front of him and forced to kneel.

"You know," Jack said, "you're breaking tradition. Generally, the Goa'uld come to the cell to mock me."

"Silence, human!" Ptah bellowed.

"I'm just saying, tradition's important..." Jack muttered and a guard whacked him soundly in the shoulder with his staff weapon. "Ouch," Jack muttered dryly.

"You are indeed as insolent as the rumors suggest," Ptah glowered menacingly. Jack had to fight back a yawn, knowing it would just get him injured again. As snake-heads went, Ptah wasn't particularly impressive. Not when compared to Anubis, Ba'al, or heck! Even Apophis beat this guy.

"Are you not filled with fear as to my intended purpose for you?"

Jack grinned and opened his mouth to retort, but Ptah raised his hand and quickly added, "Never mind. I have no wish to hear the words of a slave. I intend to sell you to a Goa'uld who has offered a significant sum for you. You may have heard of him. He goes by the name of Ba'al. He has often described to me in great detail how much it would be worth to him to receive you as a gift. I have decided to accommodate him."

Jack quelled the memories that threatened to rise and the spike of fear that crept along his spine an settled for making fun of the snake in front of him. "So, basically your Ba'al's towel boy, huh? Doing all his dirty work for him? Not snake enough to play with the big boys so you just run errands for them?"

Phat's face turned an interesting shade of red and he began to scream at Jack, "Silence! I will not tolerate this. I will gag you if needs be, but you will cease your impudence immediately!" Ptah was practically dancing from anger.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Well, Ta-ta, or whatever your name is, now I know what you intend to do with me, but how about that other fellow you caught?"

Ptah smirked triumphantly and said, "Ba'al was interested when I told him that the creature took two blasts with a zat and requires one once an hour to keep it sedated. He wants to examine the creature first hand himself."

Jack considered that and shrugged. It didn't really matter to him what happened to Samoth. The guy creeped him out anyway.

"Now, you will be returned to your cell, and I shall fetch you when we reach Ba'al's ship. Prepare for the worst, human!"

Jack snorted and guard wacked him again. He was shoved roughly to his feet, and he winced as he knee protested. The guards herded him through the hallway, and though he kept on the alert for a chance to attack, the guards were watching him very closely. Finally, they reached the cell block. He caught just a glimpse of Samoth in the cage next to him, and then he was pushed forward and ungracefully fell back into his cell.

Jack grunted as he hit the ground and turned to call after the retreating guards, "With that kind of treatment, I hope you're not expecting a tip!"

He heard Samoth laugh painfully, and then Samoth asked, "Why do you taunt them so? It only increase the harm to your physical self."

"For the fun of it, Sammy-boy, of course."

"Have they informed you where our destination is?"

Jack sighed. "Indeed," he muttered, his mind briefly turning to his Jaffa friend and wishing that he were here now. "We're going to visit an old buddy of mine named Ba'al."

"Is he a system Lord?" Samoth asked.

"One of the worst. Prepare yourself for a joyous trip of pain and torture."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jack had managed to doze off for a while when the ship abruptly came out of hyperdrive, jarring him into consciousness. He could only imagine that this meant they were about to arrive wherever Ba'al was. At least he wouldn't be the only one to interest Ba'al this time. Samoth would probably have a hard time of it as well. In fact, part of Jack hoped that Ba'al would be so interested that he would leave Jack alone, but Jack knew that was probably false hope. Ba'al hadn't been very happy with him the last time they had met.

Jack groaned as his cell was abruptly opened and two Jaffa laid hold of him. At staff-point, he waited as they blasted Samoth with a zat gun, and then he and Samoth were marched to the ring transporter where Ptah was waiting for them. He looked impatient.

"Did we keep you waiting, Ta-ta?" Jack asked with a smirk.

One of the guards slammed his staff into Jack's side and Jack grunted. Ptah glowered at him.

"Silence, O'Neill," Ptah growled.

"What?" Jack asked, "Aren't you looking forward to getting your reward? Or are you worried Ball-boy won't give it to you?"

Ptah's scowl deepened, and he nodded at the guard next to Jack who once again slammed his staff into Jack.

As pain filled his side, Jack couldn't help his grin. He knew he was hitting the mark with the Ptah guy.

The rings settled over Jack, Samoth, Ptah, and their guards, and in a flash of bright white they disappeared.

* * *

"Get down!" Jack yelled pushing Sam to the ground, and covering her with his body. She grunted, but when he didn't get off of her, she quietly said, "Sir?"

When he didn't respond, she quickly pushed him off of her. He groaned as she rolled him onto his side and she saw a minor staff burn on his leg.

"Wake up, Colonel!" she said, shaking him. Even though he didn't seem very injured, she felt panic grip her heart as though something even worse were coming.

"Wake up, sir! We've got to get out of here! Wake up!" She continued to shake him frantically, and suddenly, like a diver emerging from deep water, Sam woke up.

Daniel was shaking her gently, quietly muttering, "Wake up, Sam."

Sam pushed him away, and pushed herself up from where she had fallen asleep on the desk. Exhausted, she covered her face with her hands and asked, "Anything, Daniel?"

"Nope," Daniel said, "and it just gets better. The press is insisting to speak with us now. They aren't taking any excuses and Hammond has done everything he can to delay them. Have you seen the news?"

Sam shook her head. It had been over twenty-four hours since Colonel O'Neill had left with Thor. Twenty-four hours of constant worrying and of having their lives change completely.

"What does he want us to say?" she asked, still covering her face with her hands.

Daniel sighed, "Mostly they just want to ask us some questions. Hammond says to just be honest. It's nice to be able to tell the truth. I don't think this is such a bad thing. Do you?"

Sam sighed and sat up straight. "No, but it is going to make our lives more complicated. Alright, Daniel, let's do this thing."

Daniel nodded and placed an arm on her shoulder comfortingly. As she stood, he suddenly stepped in and hugged her tightly around the neck.

"He'll be alright, Sam," he whispered, "he's got to be." Sam hugged him back and they both stood there for a moment, taking comfort in their friendship.

After a moment, Sam pulled back and squared her shoulders. "Let's go, Daniel."

Daniel nodded and together they walked to face their inquisition.

* * *

"O'Neill." The voice sent shivers down Jack's spine, and he couldn't help but hear the smugness in the familiar sound. Jack wouldn't let him see the fear however. That just wasn't how he was built.

"Bocce ball," Jack greeted, nodding pleasantly.

Ba'al smirked. "Ah, the impudence. I will be ecstatic when the last of that is removed."

"Try me," Jack growled.

Ba'al just ignored him and turned his attention to his other prisoner. "Who are you?" he asked Samoth.

Samoth, who was slowly recovering from the Zat blast, regained his feet a bit, and blinked his large eyes. Ba'al looked a bit disoriented as he saw Samoth's overly large pupils, but then Samoth said, "I would like to tell you, but only in private when all of you guards are gone. The information is sensitive."

Ba'al looked amused. "Oh, really? Fine, we'll amuse ourselves with you first." Ba'al turned to the Jaffa holding Jack, and said, "Take O'Neill to his cell." Ba'al grinned in anticipation and said, "It's been modified just for you. I do hope you find it...accommodating."

"I'm sure I will," Jack said, "I hope you remembered the fine cuisine."

Ba'al made a motion, and the guard next to Jack back-handed him across the face. Jack felt his lip split, and he tasted blood. The guards then dragged him away. Jack felt relief and a little bit of gratitude to Samoth. The guy had delayed his torture.

* * *

Once O'Neill was out of the room, Ba'al turned to face Ptah. "You have done well. My Jaffa as we speak are delivering your reward to your ship. I may have use for you yet."

Ptah looked relieved. "Thank you, Lord Ba'al! I am most grateful for your generosity."

Ba'al waved his hand, looking annoyed, and said, "Be gone. My patience wears thin."

Ptah didn't waste anytime. He and his Jaffa left the room, and Ba'al was left alone with his guards who were still holding Samoth.

"Can you speak now?" Ba'al asked.

Samoth grinned. His eyes were more focused and he seemed to be regaining his motor skills. "Of course, I merely had to have you remove O'Neill from the room."

"Now," Ba'al said, "Who are you and what are you doing here with O'Neill? You are obviously not human."

Samoth lifted his head and said, "I'm the guy who is going to make you the most powerful Goa'uld in the universe."

Ba'al couldn't help but look interested as he lifted and eyebrow and said, "Continue."

And Samoth did.

* * *

Jack was brought to an eerily familiar cell, and it was all he could do to pull himself together. It was one of those infernal gravity cells, and Jack was not a happy camper. He had hoped that when Ba'al's secret base was destroyed, he had lost the technology along with it.

As Jack slid down the wall and looked up at the guards as they walked away, he grinned to himself. He had mentioned the layout of this cell to Carter, and she had been excited to explore the concept. He had left out the finer points of his previous captivity, but she had given him enough ideas to try, that he was confident that this time wouldn't be like the next time. For now, he would have to wait until he was left alone. He doubted that Ba'al would listen to whatever Samoth had to say. It wouldn't be long before it was Jack's turn again, and maybe he could convince Samoth to help him get out of here.

"The enemy of my enemy, and all that..." Jack mumbled as he dropped down to the floor and proceeded to relax. Nothing else to do until Ba'al came back for him, after all.

It wasn't long. Samoth was soon returned. He was bleeding from his mouth and he eye was beginning to swell. Before they dropped him in with Jack, they zatted him once more, and then shoved him directly through the door without changing the orientation of the room. Samoth plummeted the twenty feet from the top of the cell and hit the floor hard. Groaning, he twitched slightly. Jack was too busy staring at Samoth to realize that the cell was moving, until he lost his balance and fell again the side of the wall that suddenly became the floor. Jack heard Samoth hit beside him. The guards marched in and grabbed Jack from off the ground. Jack quickly scrambled to his feet, so he wasn't dragged down the hall. As they left, the guards reoriented the room and Samoth was left by himself.

Jack was taken back to stand in front of Ba'al. Ba'al looked rather...happy. Which didn't bode well with Jack.

"I haven't used this particular device since you left me so abruptly previously," Ba'al said and he gestured to the side of his room. One of the Jaffa theatrically moved a curtain and Jack's eyes once again fell upon the gravity wall that had served to hold him for so long. "I couldn't bear to look at it. It seemed to represent my greatest failure."

"And what was that?" Jack couldn't help but ask.

"Being unable to break you," Ba'al admitted, his voice lowering to a growl. "I was close, and they Yu inexplicably learned the location of my secret base. I don't know how, but for some reason I feel like SG-1 had something to do with that. Then, you managed to escape. I wouldn't have thought you had it in you at that point, but again you proved me wrong," Ba'al's look darkened, and then a slow smile spread across his face, "I look forward to completing what I started."

"What makes you think you'll succeed this time," Jack tried to say flippantly. However, he could feel dread curling in his gut, and it only grew worse as Ba'al's smile grew bigger.

"As you humans like to say," Ba'al gloated, "I don't think, I know."

As the Jaffa tossed Jack toward the gravity wall and it pulled him down to slam against it, Jack steeled himself. This was going to be a long voyage.

* * *

Sam and Daniel had been taking questions for over an hour, and both of them were exhausted. Hopefully this would be over soon.

"Dr. Jackson, according to the reports that have been released to the general public, you actually have died at least once. Could you expound upon that please?'

Daniel took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I didn't 'die' necessarily, so much as I ascended from this plane of existence to a higher plane. Well, I guess, in point of fact, I DID die first, and rather painfully I might add, and..."

"Major Carter," another reporter yelled, "why do you think that the aliens who attacked earth questioned you about the location of Colonel O'Neill. Is there something specific going on between the two of you?"

Sam tried really hard not to blush and stammered, "It was actually because I was in the midst of speaking about the Colonel. That's all. I'm sure if it had caught anyone else mid-sentence, they would have been up in that ship too."

As more reporters clambered for their chance to question the two members of SG-1, it somehow managed to keep at bay the worry that the two were feeling for their superior officer.

* * *

Jack yelped as he felt another knife plunge deep into his shoulder. However, he managed to create a wry grin and said, "What, ball-boy? Couldn't think of any new tortures to hit me with? Had to stick with the old acid and daggers?"

Ba'al smiled, "Always so impudent. If it weren't for the pleasure I will incur when you finally beg me to allow you to be my slave, I would cut out your tongue."

"What do you even want to know?" Jack said, gasping as a stray muscled twitched around one of the knives. "So far you haven't bothered to ask me any questions?"

Ba'al ignored that for a moment and pulled out another set of daggers. "I am curious, O'Neill," he finally said, as he studied his reflection in the blade for a moment, "can you tell me now the reason your symbiote returned for my slave? It has been many months since then, and you obviously succeeded in freeing her, so what harm can there be in telling me now?"

"Probably none," Jack grunted, uneasily watching the dagger that Ba'al tossed from hand to hand, "but can I really be sure?"

Ba'al snarled and flung another knife at Jack. Jack felt excruciated pain blossom from his belly, and he tried to lift his head to look down at his new wound, but the gravity that flattened him against the wall was so heavy that he could scarcely twitch his fingers. "It might bring your death slightly faster this round," Ba'al growled.

To Ba'al's surprise, Jack began to laugh. "I suppose it really won't do any harm to tell you, Boche, but I don't think you'd understand either." Jack coughed a little as blood began to fill his throat, but he managed to gasp out, "the tok'ra came back for your slave because he loved her. He wanted to save her. It had nothing to do with your stupid little hide out."

Ba'al was stunned. For a full minute he didn't know what to say as the prisoner in front of him began to cough and choke on his own blood. Finally, wordlessly, he threw another knife at O'Neill and ended the man's suffering...for now. As his Jaffa picked up the corpse and carried it to be revived in the sarcophagus, Ba'al began to pace the room in a fury.

The human was right, he couldn't understand it. _This _was the knowledge that O'Neill had died countless times to keep hidden from him? The fact that the human told him now just confirmed the fact that he had never broken him. Over the past few months, he had played with the idea that O'Neill had never really known the answer and that was why he never told him, but somehow he couldn't make himself believe that. And now, he knew for sure.

"Curse that tau'ri!" Ba'al growled. The man was enough to make any God sick. If the man had just told him that, he would have ended his suffering long before the human escaped.

Ba'al tried very hard to figure out why O'Neill would die over and over for someone he didn't even know, but he simply couldn't figure it out.

And somewhere deep inside, he knew he probably never would.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

As Jack's unconscious body was dumped into the cell, Samoth stared at it dispassionately. He wondered why the one called Ba'al bore such a grudge against O'Neill, but he was impressed at the human's fortitude. This had been the fourth time in the last few hours that they had dumped Jack's unconscious form in their prison. Each time, they had zatted Samoth, and then left the two of them alone until O'Neill had awakened, and then they had removed him once again.

He looked down at the human. His shirt was in tatters, and his pants were burnt, blood-stained, and torn, showing where the Goa'uld had tortured him, but the skin underneath was free of scars and injuries. Samoth was curious. He wondered what exactly had been going on with O'Neill and Ba'al in the times between his awakenings.

As O'Neill began to stir, Samoth looked up, expecting Jaffa to be there, ready to take the human again, but they were left alone. Samoth smiled and remained sitting as O'Neill's eyes opened and he took in his surroundings with confusion.

"Daniel?" he asked, his voice muddled and confused.

"What?" Samoth asked.

O'Neill shook his head, freeing it from the left-over cobwebs. "Nothing. Sorry." He sat up and stumbled over to the other bench across from Samoth and seated himself.

"How are you doin', Sammy?" O'Neill asked.

"Thus far, I am unhurt, save for the electrical current that they continue to send through my body," Samoth said rather honestly, his voice weak from the repeated shocks.

"Peachy," O'Neill supplied, and Samoth felt confused again, unsure of Jack's meaning.

After a moment's silence, O'Neill asked, "So, you feel up to getting out of here?"

"What?" Samoth asked again. Surely, if O'Neill had a way out of this mess, he would have used it long ago.

Jack grinned. "See, I've been in this type of situation before, and I think I would be kind of an idiot if I hadn't prepared for such an eventuality." After a moment's pause, Jack asked again, "So, are you with me in this?"

Samoth nodded eagerly. "I would be more than happy to get out of this cell, O'Neill."

"Okay," Jack said, "you can come on one condition. If I help you escape, you don't turn me over to your boss, and you let me go home."

Samoth looked at Jack for a long moment. As he black eyes peered into Jack's, Jack wondered what he was thinking. Strangely, he didn't feel threatened by this guy. His instincts either were offline, or Samoth wasn't really a bad guy. It was hard to tell after a few times in the sarcophagus.

"If we escape," Samoth finally said, "I will not turn you over to AN."

Jack nodded and rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Excellent," he said, "then let's get out of here."

Moving to his foot, he lifted his ripped pant leg to show a gaudy-looking metal band. He quickly detached it. Quickly lying down on the floor, he placed his feet again the wall and motioned for Samoth to do the same. Then, he activated the device.

A pulse went through their small cell, and the lights went out. Abruptly, the gravity began to shift, and suddenly, Jack was on his feet. Looking regretfully down at the now smoking, twisted piece of metal, he muttered, "Thank you, Sam."

They quickly ran out of the cell which, thankfully, had no door, right into the arms of an oncoming Jaffa. He was as surprised as they were, and Jack recovered faster. A few seconds later, Jack stood back up, and the Jaffa stayed down.

"Let's go," Jack said, and turned to lead them out.

"Impressive," Samoth grunted as he stepped over the fallen Jaffa.

Jack however, didn't hear him as he cautiously looked around the corner and then motioned for Samoth to follow him. Then next guard they encountered soon followed the same fate as the first one, and now Jack had a zat gun.

"It's a good thing Goa'uld are such unimaginative snakes," Jack muttered to Samoth as they made their way down another hallway that looked the same as every other hallway.

"Why is that?" Samoth asked.

"Luckily every ship is built basically the same, so you memorize one, you memorize them all. I should be able to get us to the stargate."

"Yes, that is good," Samoth said. He was weaving a bit, and seemed weak. Jack shook his head in disgust. Grabbing the alien's arm, he placed it across his shoulders, and felt the other sag against his side in relief.

"W...Why?" Samoth said, sounding shocked.

Jack shrugged, "I never could leave anyone behind, especially not in Ba'al's hands. I wouldn't be able to live with myself later."

Samoth remained silent, and Jack didn't know what else to say, so they continued in silence.

As Jack rounded the last door, he looked up and was pleased to see the Stargate. "Just as easy as last time," he had time to murmur with a smile, and then everything blew up in his face.

* * *

Sam sighed as she and Daniel sunk down into seats. Those had been the most emotionally grilling hours of her life.

"I really wish that Jack was here," Daniel moaned. "He would have chased those reporters away long before now."

"Or it might have caused more problems," a voice said from behind them.

"Sir," Sam said, struggling to rise back to her feet.

"At ease, Major," Hammond chuckled. Then he turned very serious. "Have you seen the news?"

"No, sir," Sam said, "we've been busy."

"Well," General Hammond said, "it's a right mess out there. Take a look at this."

Taking Daniel's remote control, he flipped on the television.

"...news has left the country in shock," a woman's voice began speaking. "The public is still trying to figure out if this is some big hoax. Having seen the stargate myself, I am inclined to believe it, but for everyone else, they're going to need something more. The riots that have broken out in several cities are turning ugly, and police are doing little to stop it. They seem just as outraged. In fact, in Cincinnati, several of the police force have_ joined _the rioters and have started marching. Will this news break our country apart, or will it bring us together? As for the rest of the world..."

Hammond muted the t.v. as violent images continued to play on the screen.

They were silent for a long moment.

"What's going to happen now?" Daniel said.

Hammond sighed. "Tomorrow, the President is going to hold another conference with any world leader who wants to attend. We've all been asked to be there as well. This is going to be it, people. What happens to us will be decided there. It will be an open meeting, and everyone will be watching. The secret's out, and now, we're facing the aftermath. Let's only hope that our leaders will make wise decisions."

Sam could only nod in agreement. This was turning out worse than she'd ever imagined.

* * *

As Jack started toward the gate, he felt Samoth lift up his arm, and then it was brought down violently toward Jack. Only a moment's premonition saved him from an unconscious state. He twisted out of the way, and Samoth's arm only swiped him with a glancing blow. As Jack stopped supporting the other alien, Samoth staggered for a moment, and then straightened with a smile.

"What are you doing!" hissed Jack in a stage whisper. His arm was numb from the force of the blow, and he felt confused.

Instead of answering, a cool smile broke across Samoth's face and he began to yell, "Jaffa, kree!"

The sound of armored footprints drawing near broke the sudden stillness between them.

"Why?" growled Jack, as he crouched in a defensive position.

"My master is coming for you," Samoth grinned. "However, I just wanted to see how far you could get toward your freedom. You are a truly incredible human, O'Neill. I'm convinced that if I hadn't stopped you now, you might have gotten away."

Jack growled and lunged toward the other humanoid. Samoth ducked, but the repeated electric shocks had slowed his system, and Jack managed to land a good punch to his face. Jack was instantly on him, and they were rolling on the floor when the Jaffa arrived; a kicking, punching, mass of movement. As the Jaffa zatted them both, and hauled them to their feet, Jack couldn't help the slow anger that filled him.

"I guess I misjudged you," Jack snarled at the other man, "I thought you were a better man than this. You swore that you wouldn't betray me!"

"Ah," Samoth said, lifting a finger and interrupting Jack, "I said I wouldn't turn you over _if_ we escaped. As you can see, we have not escaped yet."

"And you won't be escaping anytime soon," Ba'al's familiar voice broke through their conversation. "Samoth offered me a fair deal, and I have agreed to it."

"What kind of a deal?" Jack asked. Blood was trickling down his face from where Samoth had split his eyebrow. Samoth however, Jack noted to his satisfaction, looked a lot worse.

"Tomorrow," Ba'al grinned triumphantly, "AN is coming here. Then, you will be out of my life forever, and I will be the most powerful Goa'uld in the known universe!"

"Dream on, beach ball," Jack rolled his eyes. "Since when do bad guys keep their promises? I wouldn't count my pigeons yet, if you know what I mean."

"I do not," Ba'al said, "but we have time before we arrive for several more sessions. Bring O'Neill back to the gravity wall. Samoth, you may watch if you would like?" Ba'al extended politely.

"Sure," Samoth said, "however, I'd like it if you would be so kind as to stop shocking me. My body is beginning to wear down."

Ba'al nodded. "That would be acceptable. Anything you would like."

There was a part of Jack that would never admit it, but in that moment, he felt truly alone. His 'ally' had turned on him, and he had nothing left. Tomorrow, AN was coming, and at that thought, death suddenly didn't seem so bad anymore. Maybe Ba'al woud accidently forget to revive him.

One could only hope.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: So, just to warn any of you with weak constitutions, there is some disturbing imagery in this chapter. Torture is discussed and described at some lenght. Nothing too graphic, I don't think, but it still is slightly gross. Anyway, I just wanted to warn you. Thanks for those who have kept reviewing. I am in the process of trying to finish all my stories, so keep checking for updates!

Chapter 11

Jack once again found himself on the familiar gravity wall, staring his enemy in the face.

"That must hurt a lot," Ba'al said as he stepped away from the wall, "to have someone you trusted betray you."

"Not nearly as much as what I'm going to do to you when I get out of here," Jack growled.

Ba'al snorted. "I'm not too worried about it. I have a feeling I'm not going to be seeing you again after AN gets his hands on you."

Samoth had followed Ba'al in, and was now leaning against the back wall. He held his peace, content to watch. He admitted silently to himself that O'Neill fascinated him. He looked forward to watching the altercation and studying the human further.

Ba'al continued, "However, that does mean we have limited time together. Shall we get back to my questions?"

Jack smirked. "Ba'al, you couldn't break me after several weeks last time. What makes you think you will succeed in only a day?"

"Well," Ba'al smirked, "as you humans say, 'you can't blame a guy for trying.'" With that, Ba'al lifted his hand and revealed a small creature pinched between his thumb and forefinger.

"That's different," Jack agreed, as he studied the creature in Ba'al's hand with a bit of trepidation. "Got a new pet?" It reminded Jack of a large tick. It was at least an inch long, and circular in shape. Its mouth however, worried him. He could see what looked like jagged teeth sticking out of the top of the circle beneath beady little eyes.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Ba'al said. "This is a flewiclet from the planet Iendle. There used to be people on Iendle, but this creature has caused their extinction. Shall we see how it likes your company?"

Ba'al held out the creature and released it in the gravity field. It flew toward Jack, and landed on his shirt. Jack tried to keep his eye on it, but he could barely lift his head. That's when he felt a sharp pain begin just below his ribs. At first it was tolerable, like a hard pinch, but it steadily grew worse. He managed to lift his head to see the creature was literally eating it way through his clothing and his skin. Watching the sharp little fangs shred his flesh was not something that Jack really wanted to see. He dropped his head back down, but that didn't stop the pain.

"This creature will continue to burrow within you, and then it will lay its eggs," Ba'al explained, in his calm, amused voice. "Then, the offspring will continue the job their parent has started. They multiply quickly, but it will still take several hours before there will be enough of them within you to kill you. Until then, the pain will be excruciating."

Jack grunted. He could feel the creature burrowing. Its every movement was accentuated by his own breath, and Jack could feel his breath begin to shorten.

"I can remove this creature and all its offspring, O'Neill," Ba'al continued, "you have but to answer my questions. I merely want to know about defenses of your planet, and the best way to bypass them. That's all. If you will simply tell me that, I will kill the parasite within you."

Jack ground his teeth. This was information he would not give up, no matter what the cost. However, as he felt the creature pause within him he wondered if he would be able really be able to handle this.

At that moment, Samoth said, "You did say the Goa'uld were unimaginative snakes, O'Neill," the alien said, "however, I would have to disagree. This method of torture seems quite original."

Jack swore right then that he wouldn't give either of them the satisfaction. He only hoped he could keep his promise.

* * *

Several hours had passed. Jack's fists were now clenched in agony, but he hadn't screamed yet. The creature had burrowed just under his skin for what felt like an eternity, and he had literally been able to see its movements across his belly where his shirt was already torn. After the first hour, it had stopped, in the biceps of his right arm and then, the area had swelled painfully. Ba'al had explained that the creature had just reproduced. And that's when the agony had really began. Though each of the larvae was only the size of centimeters, they all began moving in different directions. Ba'al had left him alone then, and Jack had nothing to take his mind off the torment the creatures were inflicting. Jack couldn't think clearly. If someone had asked him what if felt like to be eaten from the inside, he didn't know if he could even describe how he felt right then. The worst part was how slow it was. The pain was excruciating, but it was almost the thought of what the little bugs were doing that was worse. He could see them, and it was a terrifying thing.

Samoth had continued to observe silently, and Jack only thought was to keep the screaming inside so that Samoth wouldn't have the satisfaction of seeing him break. He couldn't help the occasional grunt as one of the creatures would eat through a nerve or a blood vessel and pain would spike all the way up his limbs. He could also feel them growing as they feasted. As he looked at his arm, he could see almost one-inch large lumps moving around under the skin now.

Ba'al finally returned, and he was pleased to see how pale O'Neill had become. "How much more of this can you take?" he asked kindly, "Wouldn't you like for the pain to end?"

Jack didn't say anything. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth he would start screaming.

"Why is there no blood?" Samoth asked at that point. His voice sounded very calm, like a scientist researching a subject. "I have seen much movement, but even through the original hole, no fluids have escaped."

Ba'al smiled, "Ah, that's an excellent question," he praised, "the flewiclet actually cauterized the wounds as it makes them, so the host can live almost interminably. They also add a chemical that acts as stimulant. It keeps the host awake and increases their sensitivity to the pain. My scientists have speculated that muscle flavored with adrenaline is especially favorable to them. That's why it stays up so close to the surface of the skin. Eventually, when that food source runs out it moves deeper, but until then the host can live for quite a while with no muscle."

Samoth nodded and went back to his silent vigil. Despite himself, he was impressed by O'Neill, and a foreign feeling twinged in his gut. He was unable to identify what it was, but he almost felt . . . sorry for O'Neill. At that moment, the look on O'Neill's face when Samoth had betrayed him flashed through his mind, and Samoth was surprised to find that he felt . . . guilty? Samoth shook his head angrily. He had nothing to feel guilty for. He was simply doing his master's will.

"Hey, Ba'al," Jack finally croaked out, "you want to switch me places for a bit? I think you would enjoy this much more than I am."

"I told you, O'Neill," Ba'al said with his traditional smirk, "I can remove the creatures, you merely have to tell me what I want to know."

Jack shook his head, and opened, his mouth, but at that moment, all of the lumps stopped moving, and began to swell. He froze, his mouth still open in a soundless scream, and then his skin seemed to come alive with movement. At first Samoth thought Jack was shaking, but then he realized that the sheer number of creatures within O'Neill were causing his skin to look like it was dancing.

"The second generation has come, O'Neill," Ba'al said. "Soon, there will be no more nutrition under your skin, and they will be forced to move lower. Until they reach your vital organs, you will feel every moment of this torture. Simply give me the codes for your iris, and I will allow you to enter the sarcophagus."

Jack's eyes were bulging from pain and from the effort of keeping his screams silent. Aside from the movement, he skin was beginning to look baggy, as though the muscle underneath it had disappeared. Creatures were now inside his face as well, and Samoth could see them working inside of his cheeks and tunneling toward his eyes.

That's when Jack started screaming.

* * *

Sam woke up with a start. She had been dreaming of Jack being tortured, and she woke up gasping. She could only hope that her imagination was simply coming up with worse case scenarios, and that Jack was in hiding somewhere. Relatively safe.

Sighing, she rose from her bed and left the room. She headed to the commissary and sat down at a table, burying her face in her hands. She couldn't get the sounds of his screaming out of her head. She was only there a few moments, when she felt someone sit next to her.

Without looking up, she knew it was Teal'c.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"For what, Major Carter?" Teal'c asked.

Sam shook her head, unsure of why she had said that, but still feeling a vague need to apologize. "Did I wake you up?" she asked.

"Indeed you did not," Teal'c said. "In fact, I have been awake for several hours. I merely heard the sound of your passing. What has disturbed you?"

"A bad dream," she said, and looked up at him. "Do you think he's okay?"

She didn't need to say his name. Teal'c knew whom she was talking about.

"O'Neill is very strong, Major Carter. I'm sure he is fine."

She nodded, but at that moment, her vision filled with light and she found herself staring at the inside of an Asgard spaceship. She and Teal'c, who had been sitting on chairs that were no longer there, suddenly found themselves on the ground. Hammond was angrily sputtering from across the room, and Daniel was still asleep, snoring gently.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hammond barked.

He was quickly silenced as Thor appeared around the corner. Even though the Asgard faces were generally hard to read, it was apparent that Thor was panicking.

"I'm sorry for my rudeness," Thor said, "but I'm afraid we have little time."

"What is it?" Sam said, stumbling to her feet.

Teal'c rested his hand on Daniel's shoulder, and the archeologist shot up with a start in time to hear Thor's next words.

"I'm afraid I am the bearer of bad news, Major Carter," Thor said, "Ba'al has O'Neill and AN is on his way to retrieve him from the Goa'uld. If we are to save O'Neill now, we are going to need some help."

There was a long silence, and then everyone started talking at once.

"How did Ba'al get his hands on Jack?" Daniel asked, outraged.

"Ba'al will not give him away so easily, Thor," Teal'c said, "the Goa'uld bears quite a grudge."

"Did you inform the President that you were going to be removing us?" Hammond said.

"What can we do, Thor?" Sam asked.

Thor stared at them all for a moment, as their questions washed over them. Finally, he turned to Hammond. "I'll send Kvasir to inform him of the situation, but we must leave immediately."

"One moment," Hammond said, "I need you to beam up the reporters who are within the SGC right now. Part of the Presidential Ruling was that all missions would now have someone to record every mission. I trust the two who are down there now. They are good men."

"Very well," Thor said, and a moment later, two very confused men stood in the ship with their equipment lying all around them.

"Are we free to leave now, General?" Thor asked.

"I suppose so, Thor," Hammond said, "but where are we going?"

Thor's large eyes blinked at him, and then he quietly stated, "To once again reunite the four races."

You could have heard a pin drop in the silence that followed.

* * *

As O'Neill's last breath rattled from his lungs, Samoth saw the look of rage that passed over the Goa'uld's face.

"Curse that human!" Ba'al growled again.

"Excuse me?" Samoth asked. "What did he do? He certainly screamed loud enough for you."

Ba'al had almost forgotten the other was in the room. Quickly he gathered his composure. "I simply wanted him to tell me some useful information before I had to hand him over to your Master," Ba'al said smoothly. "It is unfortunate, but I'm afraid I've ran out of time. It took him much longer to die than my previous experiments."

Samoth nodded. He stared at what was left of O'Neill, and suppressed a shudder. His insides rolled, like he'd eaten a bad batch of _eisnelquenke_ and he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that he'd had earlier.

Ba'al motioned for his two guards to approach. "Spray him with the _Smeingeils Juice_. Once every parasite is dead, place him in the sarcophagus, and once he is healed, bring him back before me."

The guards nodded, and Ba'al motioned for Samoth to come with him. Samoth did so.

"Why do you hate him so much?" Samoth finally asked.

Ba'al's eyes glowed briefly as a look of rage passed across his face. "He defies me," he finally said, his voice echoing in the tones of a Goa'uld.

"But I'm sure he's not the first one to do that," Samoth said, "I sense there's something more than that."

Ba'al looked at him sideways, as though trying to figure out what Samoth was after. He turned back and walked in silence again.

Shrugging, Samoth fell in beside him and maintained his silence, waiting for Ba'al to say something. Finally, Ba'al said, "He beat me."

"What do you mean?" Samoth pressed.

Ba'al was silent for another long moment, and then he finally said, "I tortured him for weeks, and not only did he never break, but he managed to escape _and_ accomplish his mission when he should have been nothing more than a broken wreck."

Samoth nodded, and opened his mouth to speak but before he could, Ba'al added one last comment.

"And he never learned to fear me."

* * *

As the ship blasted through space, the camera man was recording it with a sense of awe. SG-1 and General Hammond ignored them, as Thor was explaining the situation further.

"We were able to track O'Neill's position from the genetic marker that we placed inside of him, but unfortunately our scout ship was spotted and was forced to retreat. As they left that system, they passed AN's ship. He was approaching Ba'al's ship at great speed. He will be there shortly. We have little time."

"What can we do, Thor?" Sam asked. "Were you serious about reuniting the four races?"

"Yes, MajorCarter," Thor said. "The time has come for us to put aside our differences and stand against our common enemy. The Asgard are finally ready to admit that they cannot do this on their own. You are here to represent the fifth race and O'Neill."

Sam nodded. General Hammond asked, "How long, Thor?"

"Another three of your hours will take us to our first location."

Sam only hoped they would be in time.

* * *

Jack awoke with a start and for a moment didn't know where he was. And then, he remembered everything. With a cry of horror, he sat up in the sarcophagus, and began to rub his crawling skin. He was fairly certain the parasite was gone, but that didn't mean he didn't feel like it was still there. He shuddered and continued to rub his arms while he rocked back and forth.

A few moments later, the two Jaffa opened the lid and pulled him from his box. For once, Jack had nothing to say to them. The last time he'd died had been the worst by far and he was barely aware of his surroundings as they pulled him down the hall. He didn't even have the ability to resist. He merely stumbled along with them, his skin hyper sensitive to the memory that lingered in his mind.

A sudden shove almost roused him, but as he was once again gripped in a gravity field and looked up to see Ba'al staring at him, he almost lost it. For a long moment, panic gripped him, and he felt screams building up in his chest, and then, his black-ops conditioning took over and he was suddenly in control of himself again. He shuttered the dark memories into a corner of his mind, and sealed them shut as best as he could.

Ba'al had been pleased for a moment as a look of panic raced into his prisoner's eyes, but almost as soon as he had spotted it, it disappeared and Colonel Jack O'Neill was back.

"Hey, golf ball," Jack said his smile a little bit wobbly, but still present. And if it wasn't his best taunt ever, who could blame him?

"O'Neill," Ba'al greeted, "are you prepared to continue?" He held up another of the creatures, and he noted a slight paling in the human's features.

"Only if you're prepared to be disappointed again," Jack managed, but he could feel his insides quivering with fear.

Ba'al held the creature up a moment longer, and then with a sigh, he placed it back behind the counter.

"What, you bored already?" Jack asked, but he couldn't completely hide the relief in his voice.

"Unfortunately," Ba'al said, "our time is up. You have a visitor."

And then a creature stepped from the shadows, and a voice that Jack had only previously heard in his head spoke to him.

"Greetings, O'Neill."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: So, here's another chapter for you who have been reviewing. It's nice to know that his is being read. This is the chapter where you begin to have your questions answered! So, more talking this chapter and less action, but don't worry, the action will pick up again very soon.

Chapter 12

"You must be AN," Jack said, gaining his confidence. Now that he wasn't in danger of having that parasite eat him again, he felt the fear leaving him. Compared to _that_, he had nothing to worry about. Hopefully.

Instead of answering, the creature stepped forward, and Jack got his first real glimpse of his new enemy. For starters, the guy was _huge. _He was at least ten feet tall and bipedal, and he wore comfortable looking pants on his very human looking legs. As Jack's eyes traveled up, he witnesses a narrow waist and very broad shoulders. The man wasn't wearing a shirt, and he was a very hairy guy. Jack swallowed as he felt, more than saw, the power behind the man's stature. He looked entirely human, until Jack reached his head. His neck bulged with muscles and he face was clean shaven, but coming out of the sides of his head just above his ears were two massive bull horns. No wonder the guy's neck was so muscular, Jack realized. Otherwise, the guy wouldn't be able to hold up his head. His head was covered in black silky hair, and his nose was flat and smashed looking.

AN bowed his mighty head in a respectful gesture. He was analyzing Jack from every angle, and Jack felt a pressure building up within his skull. It felt like someone was trying to pry it open with a sledgehammer.

"Wow," Jack continued, fighting to regain some control in this situation, "that's a lot of bull."

"Silence," AN said, but he didn't sound angry; just a little distracted. A few seconds later, AN looked away, and Jack's headache disappeared. Shaking his head, he lipped, "I bet you get that one all the time. Well, how about this one: There was a bull who walked into the bar..."

AN ignored him. Instead he turned to Ba'al and said, "Thank you, Ba'al for detaining this human for me. What would you like as your reward?"

Jack's voice continued in the background, though it was obvious both 'gods' were ignoring him, "..and he said, "Ouch!"

However, for the moment, Ba'al was utterly enchanted by what AN had offered him, and he took no notice of O'Neill's impudence. He looked like a kid at a candy store. "AN," he said respectfully, "with your permission, I would like some more schematics of the gate system."

AN sighed and then smiled patiently like a loving father. "Of course you would," he said, "that's what you always want."

"Merry Christmas," Jack muttered sourly.

AN's head whipped around and once again, Jack's head was pounding with a massive headache. "Please subdue him," AN said, "it is time for us to depart." One of the Jaffa instantly lifted his zat gun, and that was the last thing Jack knew.

* * *

As the human's body shook and then slumped, AN motioned for the Jaffa to fetch him. Ba'al smirked and moved his hand over the controls, releasing the gravitational field. The Tau'ri's body fell to the ground. The two Jaffa went to pick up his still form, but AN stopped them with a motion. Then he turned to his servant.

"Samoth," AN said, and though his voice was gentle, Samoth broke into a cold sweat.

"Yes, my Lord," Samoth said, kneeling in front of his master.

"I am disappointed in you, child," AN growled, a note of true anger coming into his tone. "I had expected you to be successful long before now. And even now, it is a Goa'̀uld who turns my prize over to me, and not my most trusted servant. What do you think the consequences should be?"

Samoth could tell that AN was truly angry with him, and he felt fear shoot throughout his frame. Hoping to reduce the punishment, he decided to play nice. "Whatever you wish, my Lord," Samoth said, not moving a muscle.

"We'll decide that later. You shall carry the human."

Samoth nodded and started over to O'Neill. Throwing the lanky human over his shoulders, he staggered momentarily and then waited for the next command. AN gestured and a black hole sucked Samoth from Ba'al's ship and deposited him on AN's.

Once that was accomplished, AN turned to Ba'al. "It is a risky think bartering with me, Goa'uld," AN said, his voice deceptively soft. "However, since you didn't know I was after the human, and you did treat my servant well, and will give you what you have asked. For now."

Ba'al swallowed nervously as AN handed him a crystal. He knew that he had barely escaped, and could only be grateful that AN hadn't killed him for his insolence. As AN disappeared in a black hole of his own, Ba'al stared into the distance for a moment and then sighed in regret. For a moment, he felt that he and O'Neill would meet again, and strangely the thought made him . . . happy. But that was impossible. No one escaped from AN.

However, as Ba'al strode toward his consul to connect his new crystal, he couldn't help but see the defiance still in Jack's eyes as he had stared down AN. A smirk made its way to Ba'al's lips.

No one escaped from AN. But there's always a first time. Maybe he would get a chance to finish this after all.

* * *

"Major Carter," Thor's voice came from over the ship's speakers, "we are approaching our destination."

Sam stood up and wiped her hands on her pants, trying to look presentable. Thor had also shipped up their dress uniforms so that they could look their best, and now Sam was wearing her dress blues. She quickly walked back to Thor's control room.

"So, Thor," Sam said cheerily, "who is it first? The Nox, the ancients?"

The Asgard blinked at her a moment and then he said, "The Furlings."

Sam didn't know what to say for a moment. Then she grinned brightly. "Really? Thor that's awesome! We've been wondering who they are for ages."

Thor nodded, but remained quiet. Sam wondered what the back story was here. Why was everyone so reluctant to talk about the fourth race?

General Hammond, Daniel, and Teal'c quickly came in behind her just in time to here what Thor had said. Daniel was practically bouncing. Sam could see the familiar excitement gleaming in his eyes as he looked forward to meeting this new race of people.

General Hammond looked a little nervous as he adjusted his collar and Teal'c was as stoic as ever.

"It's this way!" an annoyed voice shouted from the corridor. "I know where I'm going!"

"That's what you said last time," another voice grumbled back as the camera man and the reporter came through the doorway.

"Nice of you to join us, gentlemen," the General said, a small grin on his lips.

Todd, the camera man, grinned shyly and held up his camera. "Sorry, sir," he said, "but Brad was a little lost."

The reporter shook his head in irritation. "I told you I knew where I was going."

Sam smiled gently at the two. New recruits, they were both good kids. Though they bickered a bit and teased, Sam could see that they were fast friends, and had been a welcome addition to their voyage. In only their few hours here, they had managed make friends with the members of SG-1.

"Get ready," Thor said, "they are signaling us."

At that moment, the vid window opened and the face that stared back at them was not one that SG-1 expected to see.

Large, iris-less black eyes stared at them, and Sam jumped back in fear. "Samoth!" she squeaked.

The face on the screen cocked its head at her in puzzlement for a moment before wheeling on Thor.

"What is the meaning of this, Thor?" the man growled. "You know better than to be in our section of the galaxy. Are you trying to begin a war?"

As the voice came through the window, Sam sagged with relief. The voice was different, and now, as she regained control of her pulse, she realized that the face was not the same either. It was a wider face with a larger nose. Though the eyes were the same, Sam didn't feel the same sense of danger that she had from Samoth.

Thor nodded his head solemnly at the man. "Greetings, Eridu. I'm afraid the matter is most urgent, or I wouldn't have bothered you."

"Well, what is it?" the man grumped.

"It is time to reunite the four races and face the Sumerians once more," Thor began, but the man quickly interrupted him.

"No, Thor," the Furling said, "you know why we broke it off. We aren't fighting your petty battle. We are . . . " but what they were would have be left unsaid, because Thor said something that made the man stop talking immediately.

"Eridu!" Thor snapped, "The key has been completed."

Eridu's eyes widened, and his mouth gaped open for a moment, and then he gasped, "How . . . ?"

Before he could finish, Thor repeated, "The key has been completed . . . and the Sumerians have it."

The silence that followed was long and then the man on the screen blinked. "Please dock. The council will be waiting to speak with you."

The window blinked off, and immediately the humans turned to the Asgard for answers.

"All will be explained," Thor promised. "However, for now, I need you to trust me. Please don't ask me to explain. Simply answer their questions honestly and everything will be all right."

* * *

"Look, el torro," Jack said, "I pretty much am sure that I'm going to say no to whatever you're going to say to me, so we might as well cut to the chase and let me go home. What do you say?"

AN shook his large horns and smiled patiently at the Tau'ri in front of him. "Colonel Jack O'Neill of SG-1," he said, ignoring Jack's pleading, "I'm afraid that you are mistaken. We are protecting you, not trying to harm you."

Jack rolled his eyes, "I've heard that one before."

Currently, he was frozen in some kind of containment field. He could move his head and mouth just fine, but his arms and legs were frozen. It wasn't painful or anything, just disconcerting. Actually, to be perfectly honest, ever since Jack had woken up on the granite-like vessel, everyone had been fairly courteous.

His spider-sense, however, was tingling as the saying went. Though he couldn't put his finger on it, AN made his skin crawl. As did the rest of the crew: small, silent, blue creatures with far too many tentacles who just put his nerves on edge.

"Listen, O'Neill," AN said, his voice still gentle, "the only reason we have detained you like this is so that you would listen. Would you honestly have given us a fair chance to explain ourselves otherwise?"

Jack couldn't help but shake his head. No, especially not after the fear he'd seen in Thor's eyes.

"Have we ever done anything that has harmed you or ones you've cared about during our altercations with you?"

"You zatted me," Jack protested.

"You were behaving as a young child," AN replied rolling his eyes, "it was simpler to silence you then. However, besides that, have we done you any harm?"

Strangely, this did make Jack think. The Sumerians really hadn't harmed anyone. Even when they'd had Carter aboard their ship, they had threatened, but they hadn't actually done any damage.

Then Jack snorted, "That's just because the Asgard would have kicked your cow-like backsides if you had tried." Knowing he had nailed their reasoning on the head, he tipped his head up. His head was pounding again, and he couldn't figure out why. It seemed to come and go, especially when AN was in the room.

This time it was AN's turn to snort, though his sounded very bull-like. "Foolish creature," he chided gently, "Do you really think the Asgard could have stopped us they had tried to stop us by themselves? Last time it took all four races of their pathetic union to make us back off. Why could the weakest quarter of it make us stop?"

"The weakest?" Jack echoed.

AN laughed. "Do you know nothing of your saviors, boy?" the creature asked.

"Hey!" Jack interrupted, "Not that I'm complaining at my age of being mistaken for one, but I am definitely not a 'boy.'"

"Let me tell you a story, 'boy,'" AN said, emphasizing the word, "in fact, I'll show it to you, so that you may believe your eyes. Then you will know who the Asgard truly are."

"Sweet," Jack said, as a screen popped up on the side of a wall and images began to play, "I've been missing the latest Simpson's episodes. Do we get cable from here?"

AN ignored him again, and simply began to talk. As he did so, the screen moved until it became an image all around them. Jack couldn't help but jibe, "Nice effects, bull-man."

AN simply began talking, and despite himself, Jack became very interested. "Long ago," AN's deep voice boomed through the chamber as stars swirled around them, "all races lived in harmony, simply struggling to survive on their own spheres. All advanced at different speeds, but four were quicker than any. You may have heard of each of these races.

"The Nox," as AN named them, a planet zoomed close in front of Jack's eyes, and then they were walking on the surface, watching the Nox evolution in fast forward.

"The Ancients, as they like to call themselves now," AN said snidely. The images around them whizzed out from among the Nox and settled on a different planet where very human-like creatures were experimenting and acquiring knowledge at great speeds. "However," AN continued, "at the time they were far from 'ancient.'

"Then there was the Asgard, who were anatomically very similar to the Ancients and the Nox," again, they soared onto a planet where other human-like creatures were playing with tools and making observations. Once again, Jack watched their development in fast forward as they went from building huts to flying spaceships. AN's voice continued, though Jack could no longer see hi m for the images which were playing around him. " Oddly, your specific physiology seems to be one that is at the pinnacle of natural development. Time and time again, species such as yourself have become the rulers of their planet and the top of what you would call 'the food chain.'"

Jack found himself once again flying from the planet's surface, and his mind felt as though it was reeling. The part of it he had blocked off, the part that was filled with Ancient knowledge was leaking, and he could see corresponding information from the many minds that had left their knowledge for him to absorb. Thus far, everything that AN had said was true.

"And finally," AN said, "the Sumerians. We and the 'ancients' reached space travel at about the same time, and set off to explore the universe. Finding space travel cumbersome and slow, the Ancients began to set up the Stargate system to help them travel faster across the galaxy. That's when they met us. For a long time, we were friends. We helped each other and learned from each other. However," AN said, "we had differing philosophies on helping other species to advance as we had."

"The Ancients at first were delighted with sharing their knowledge. They helped the Asgard and Nox to become great races, and soon the four of us were searching the stars and establishing new Stargates everywhere.

"That's when we discovered the Goa'uld."

Up to this point, there had been very fast images that filled Jack with wonder. He was witnessing millions of years of history in mere moments. Now time slowed down and he watched a young man walk toward a lake.

"We quickly discovered their incredible intelligence, and desired to help them somehow," AN said, his tone regretful. We decided to help them evolve a bit, and introduced Naquidah into their blood stream. They and the other creatures on the planet, the Unas, lived in a symbiotic relationship. However, inadvertently, we also introduced them to something that would slowly drive the Goa'uld mad."

"The sarcophagus," Jack murmured as he watched a young Unas with glowing eyes explore a ship which was much like the one he was on.

"Correct, O'Neill," AN agreed, "The Unas stumbled into a room and stole the sarcophagus. They tried to reverse-engineer the original, which created the widespread corrupt version that the Goa'uld use today."

"Yeah," Jack muttered, "been there, jumped on that bandwagon."

AN nodded his shaggy head. "As you know, the side-effects are disastrous. The Goa'uld went mad and power-hungry. At the same time this was occurring, we found another planet."

As the images around Jack disappeared and were replaced with a new planet, Jack couldn't help the exclamation that came to his lips, "Earth!"

"Indeed, O'Neill," AN said, a smile coming to his lips, "obviously the continental drift was much different at this point in history, but you are correct. It was your planet, and on this planet we found a species that was genetically very similar to our own. We settled there, surprised to find that though they were relatively primitive, recently, they had made some huge advancements. A tribe from the north had come down and taught the residents of the area agriculture. No one knows where these strangers came from, but they propelled the advancement of the human species forward, and then settled and began to breed with the natives. We landed and introduced ourselves to the natives. They were very welcoming, and it wasn't long before they began to worship us as Gods. We continued to help their advancement, hoping that among them we would find the key that we were all looking for."

"And what is that?" Jack interrupted, "what are all of you looking for on Earth?"

AN raised a hand to silence Jack. "In a moment," he said, "this is important. I will tell you everything, human."

Jack opened his mouth to object, and then closed it and nodded. Despite himself, he was interested.

"However," AN continued, "their advancement was a farce. The strangers who had settled in their land were none other than the Furlings, who were also looking for the key. At this point, we had not known of the existence of the Furlings, and so we were unaware that they were among the denizens of your world. They were upset with our interference in their 'project,' but unable to drive us off themselves, they contacted the Ancients, telling them that we were corrupting the human race and developing the darkness that exists within the human heart. The Ancients probably wouldn't have believed them, if not for the cataclysm that occurred at that exact moment."

AN paused for a long time. Jack grew impatient. "What happened?" he finally asked.

AN shook his head, as though to erase a bad memory. "The Goa'uld committed global genocide of a planet they didn't like and began to enslave the people on the neighboring worlds. The Ancients, Asgard, Nox, and Furlings were appalled. They blamed us for this misfortune and assumed that we had purposefully nursed the darkness withing the Goa'ulds' hearts."

As he spoke, his hands clenched into fists, and his muscles flexed as fury raced across his features. If Jack could have backed up at that moment, he would have. His headache was back and worse than ever. As a migraine pounded at his skull, AN finally relaxed, and Jack felt relief.

"We tried to fix our mistake, but the other four races wanted to undo what had been done. They wanted to slaughter all of the Goa'uld. We couldn't let them do it. A battle commenced, and we were driven out. The galaxy was split in half, and we have remained on our side ever since."

As AN finished speaking, the lights flashed off, and Jack was left once again staring at granite-like walls. "Well, what happened to the Furlings, then? And why did the alliance fail?" Jack asked.

AN smiled. "Having not been there myself, I will have you direct your next question to this fellow here," AN gestured toward a corner, and a trembling grey creature stepped from the shadows.

"Loki!" Jack yelled. He didn't know why everyone else had a hard time telling the Asgard apart. Usually it was very easy for him.

"O'Neill," the nervous creature greeted. "AN has asked me to finish telling you of the Asgard's great mistake."

"Well?" Jack said, and as the creature began to speak, Jack was stunned to silence.

* * *

As Sam, Daniel, General Hammond, Teal'c, and the two witnesses were shoved into a small chamber, none of them really felt very welcome. All of the faces that were lined up in front of them were hard and cold, and the same black eyes glared out at them. The council of Furlings was sitting behind a U-shaped table and SG-1 was in the center of the U.

"All right, Thor," A woman who was sitting in the middle said, "you have a few minutes to convince us to help you. Please be concise and truthful."

Thor gave a bitter laugh. Sam looked at him in surprise. She'd never heard anything like that from the little alien before. "Truthful?" Thor said, "Very well. Your experiment paid off. One of your descendants is almost complete. With a slight genetic alteration, his genes will almost definitely hold the key to solving all of our problems."

At these words, the council began to murmur and talk amongst themselves. They were using a very flutey language that Sam looked to Daniel to translate. He just shrugged. It was the first time he'd heard Furling before. Finally, the council calmed down and the woman spoke again.

"Why do you tell us this? Surely it isn't as a favor. We know of your greed and your interference."

Thor sighed. He obviously was uncomfortable, but calmly he answered, "I tell you because without your help the key will be lost to AN."

At that name, the uproar was even longer this time. It took a full five minutes before the woman was able to regain control again. "Tell us what has transpired Thor," the woman said.

Thor nodded and began. Oddly, he began with the humans discovering the Stargate and the adventures of SG-1. He spent some time on the Ancient device that had downloaded knowledge into Jack's brain, but he moved on quickly. He ended the story by telling how the Sumerians had come and kidnaped Jack.

"This is our situation," Thor said. "Will you help us, or will everything we ever promised each other turn out to be nothing more than pompous posturing?"

All of SG-1 stared in surprise at Thor. They'd never heard him speak so rudely. Todd and Brad were filming silently, waiting for the Furlings' answer.

The Furlings conferred once again. However, it wasn't long before the woman stood up. Facing the team in front of her, she opened her mouth to announce their decision.


End file.
